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Class ; . 

Book i S > 


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COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT. 















Aunt Jane and her 


Luck Charm. 


Page 17. 





THE STAGE OF LIFE 


A KENTUCKY STOKY 


— BY — 

/ 

ELLANETTA HARRISON 



CINCI NN ATI 

The Robert Clarke Company 
1903 




Copyright, 1903, by 

The Robert Clarke Company. 




THE LIBRARY OF 
CONGRESS, 

Two Copies Received 


APR 18 1903 



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• • « • • • •*••••« *» 

• »• • e • ••• * * • 

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PRESS OF THE ROBERT CLARKE CO. 
CINCINNATI, OHIO, TJ. S. A. 


TABLE OF CONTENTS. 

Page 

Chapter I i 

Chapter II 4 

Chapter III 16 

Chapter IV 25 

Chapter V 35 

Chapter VI 45 

Chapter VII 58 

Chapter VIII 65 

Chapter IX 75 

Chapter X. 77 

Chapter XI 85 

Chapter XII 98 

Chapter XIII 113 

Chapter XIV : 132 

Chapter XV 146 


IV TABEE OF CONTENTS. 

Page 

Chapter XVI 154 

Chapter XVII. 168 

Chapter XVIII \ 181 

Chapter XIX 195 

Chapter XX 216 

Chapter XXI 227 

Chapter XXII 234 

Chapter XXIII 242 

Chapter XXIV 249 


CHAPTER I. 


‘ Mamma, what was it I heard papa saying to 
you this morning? You’ve looked so sad ever 
since,” said Nina Boise, looking earnestly into her 
mother’s pale, troubled face. 

“ I can’t tell you just now, Nina,” her mother 
replied, and sighed deeply as she threw herself 
upon a couch. “ Pick up that shawl, daughter, 
and spread it over me.” 

“ Mamma, dear, are you chilly, when this room 
is so warm?” asked Nina. 

“Somewhat — darling; mamma must rest now; 
don’t disturb her,” said Mrs. Boise. 

Driven thus to her own resources, Nina stood 
by the window watching the rain. All was dark 
and dreary outside, and seemed but to reflect the 
gloomy forebodings that filled the child’s mind. 
She felt that something must be wrong but little 
realized what sorrow was in store for her, or what 
a sad change was soon coming into her bright 
young life — a life that had been filled with such 
happiness and sunshine as none but a loving 
mother can put into the daily experiences of a 
little child. She looked at her mother’s sweet face 
(I,' 


2 


This stage oe uEE: 


now, as, with closed eyes and brows contracted as 
if she were in pain, Mrs. Boise lay white and still. 

“ I wonder what can be the matter,” thought 
Nina; “it must be something dreadful. I never 
saw mamma look so sad. She hasn't smiled once 
this whole livelong day !” 

Presently Mrs. Boise opened her eyes, and 
another long-drawn, quivering sigh escaped her. 

“ I haven’t disturbed you, mamma, have I ?” 
Nina asked. 

Without answering, Mrs. Boise raised herself, 
and pushed her hair from her face and temples 
with a gesture which showed she was deciding to 
make some unpleasant and painful effort. 

“ My child,” she began, “the doctor says I must 
go to Europe ; says it is very important for my 
health that I go at once.” 

“ Does he, mamma, and do you mean to go ?” 
questioned Nina. 

. “ I am afraid I must, my darling,” answered her 
mother. 

“ Not and leave me, mamma?” 

The child’s imploring tone and look of mingled 
terror and sorrow took from her mother all power 
of replying in words, but Nina understood the 
silent answer too well. With a wild cry she threw 
both arms around her mother’s neck and gave way 


A KENTUCKY STORY. 


3 


to such violent grief that it seemed as if body and 
soul would be rent in twain. The sensitive, affec- 
tionate child loved her mother, nay, worshiped her, 
with all the strength of her being. She felt that 
this sweet mother, with her smiles, her caresses 
and guiding hand, was the one thing in the wide 
world she could not live without. 

Mrs. Boise was a quiet woman in all things, but 
had for some time been weak and ill, and herself 
gave way to a sorrow scarcely less violent in its 
expression than Nina’s own. Alas ! she had good 
reason. She knew that the chance of her ever 
returning to shield the little creature nearest her 
heart from the future evils and snares of life was 
very small. She had at first refused to leave her 
child, declaring she would rather die than take the 
chance of recovery at such a cost. Her physician 
insisted, however, that unless she had an imme- 
diate change of climate and entire freedom from 
care, her days were numbered. She had begged 
to have Nina go with her, but her husband thought 
the doctor’s orders should be carried out abso- 
lutely, and that she should be relieved of even the 
care 1 of her little daughter. It was hard, but she 
had at last consented to make the sacrifice and 
trust in Him who gave her child, for the rest. She 
had dreaded to open the matter to Nina, and 


4 


THE STAGE OE EIEE : 


nothing but necessity gave her the courage to do 
so. She was prepared for her child’s grief, but not 
for the passionate paroxysms of weeping that, one 
after another, shook the little frame ; the calmness 
and self-control she had determined to maintain 
were impossible — nature was too strong. Her 
tears fell like rain as they clasped one another in 
convulsive embraces. After some moments Mrs. 
J3oise regained composure, but Nina continued 
weeping and sobbing as if her very heart were 
broken. Mrs. Boise grew alarmed. 

“ Nina! Nina! listen to me,” she said. “ This 
is not right, my child. Remember, darling, who it 
is that brings this sorrow upon us. We must try 
and bear it bravely. Though we must sorrow, 
dear, we must not rebel. You hurt both yourself 
and me, my daughter. God sends no trouble upon 
us but in love, and though all seems dark now, the 
clouds will break and all will be glorious in the end. 
Mamma will return to you strong and well. Then 
we will be happy again. Your papa has secured a 
home for you with your Uncle Thomas St. Clair 
and your Aunt Frances. Uncle Thomas writes 
that all care will be taken of you, that Aunt 
Frances will be glad to have you in her home and 
look after you.” 

Nina stopped crying after a while, but con-' 


A KENTUCKY STORY. 


5 


tinued to sob. She hid her pathetic little tear- 
stained face in her mother’s lap and tried to listen, 
but — oh, the days and weeks, and may be years, 
looked so empty, so gloomy, so terrible, without 
her precious mother — the mother from whom she 
had never been separated a day in her life! The 
first great sorrow of her life had come, or soon 
would come, upon the child, and with keen sensi- 
bility and insight she realized what suffering it 
would bring her. 

When her mother had finished talking to her, 
Nina arose and went softly from the room. She 
had often seen her mother read the Bible when 
troubled or suffering, and now she went to her 
own little room, and after she had bathed her 
swollen eyes, began to read the twenty-third psalm : 
“ The Lord is my shepherd ; I shall not want. He 
maketh me to lie down in green pastures ; he lead- 
eth me beside the still waters ; he restoreth my 
soul; he leadet'h me in the paths of righteousness 
for his name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through 
the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no 
evil.” 

“ No ! no !” sobbed Nina, “ I can’t say that I 
do fear evil. I fear my dear mamma will never 
return to me ! Oh, how can I bear it ! How can 
I bear it !” 


6 


THE STAGE OF EIFE : 


“Nina!” her mother called, “it is bed-time, 
darling.” 

She went and pressed a good-night kiss upon 
her mother’s face, who said, as she embraced her 
child: “Trust in God, dear, and he will bring 
sweet peace to your heart.” 

The resigned look in the dear, sad mother- 
eyes — eyes so full of understanding and sympa- 
thy — awed and subdued Nina. • She returned to 
her room and began to get ready for bed. She 
looked around, and the tears rolled down her 
cheeks again. There were the cushions, the tidies, 
and all the pretty things her mother had made for 
her. “ Dear old room,” she said, “ I’ve got to 
leave you and the house where I’ve always been 
with my dear mamma and papa. Papa will return, 
may be ; but, oh, I am so afraid my sweet mamma 
will not come back to me — and I shall never live 
in my own dear home again !” 

Presently she heard her father coming up the 
stairs. 

“Nina, child, what’s the matter? Why don’t 
you retire ?” he said, opening the door. “ I’m 
afraid your crying will disturb your mother.” 

“ Oh, papa, was I crying? I didn’t know it. 
I don’t want to disturb her,” sobbed Nina. 


A KENTUCKY STORY. 7 

“ W ell, come kiss your papa good-night, then 
go to bed and to sleep, like a good girl.” 

After he had gone, Nina went to bed, but it 
was long before sweet slumber finally closed her 
swollen eyes and made her, for a time at least, 
forget her troubles. 




\ 


j 




CHAPTER II. 


When Mrs. Boise opened her eyes the next 
morning, Nina was looking into her face. 

“ How do you feel, mamma?” she asked. 

“ Well, about the same, daughter,” said Mrs. 
Boise, drawing her child to her and kissing her 
softly. “ Nina, daughter, it’s very early. Go back 
to your room,” said Mrs. Boise. “ Mamma can 
not get up yet.” 

Nina returned to her room and opened the 
window. It was a smoky September morning. 
She could see nothing to cheer her. All looked 
just as she felt — full of sadness. 

After a time she remembered that her mother 
had told her when sorrow was upon her to always 
go to God in prayer. She knelt by her bed and 
tried to ask him to be with her, but deep sobs 
choked her. Soon, though, a hymn she had often 
heard her mother sing came to her : 

“ I delivered thee when bound, 

And, when bleeding, healed thy wounds; 

Sought thee, wondering, set thee right, 

Turned thy darkness into light. ” 

Suddenly the sun came forth, and Nina arose 
from the floor with a smile. 


A KENTUCKY STORY. 9 

“ 1 believe God has promised me light !” she 
exclaimed. 

Yes, Nina, dear, God has promised all his chil- 
dren light, and after we have desired it with our 
whole soul and sought for it with our whole 
strength, gleams of God-given light will shine into 
our minds, not because we’ve striven for it, but 
because only then can our minds perceive it. 

When Nina went into the dining-room that 
morning, she found her sweet mother there wait- 
ing for her with a smile and a kiss, though the 
child could see tears had recently been in her 
mother’s eyes. 

“ Did you get to sleep again, Nina, dear?” her 
mother asked. 

“ No, mamma, 1 have been up since five wait- 
ing for you,” answered Nina. 

“ What did you do all that time, my daughter ?” 
questioned Mrs. Boise. 

“ T was looking at the sky, mamma.” 

“And were you thinking of him who made the 
sky?” asked her mother. 

“ Not all the time. I wonder, mamma, if he 
will care for me after you are gone?” 

“ Yes, darling; he cares for you now, and will 
care for you then more than mamma can — if you 
will only put your trust in him, Nina!” 


IO 


THE STAGE OE UEE : 


“ Mamma, won’t you tell me just what you 
mean by ‘ putting my trust in him ’ ?” she said. 

“Yes, daughter. How do you trust me?” 
asked Mrs. Boise. 

“ Well, mamma, I believe every word you say. 
I am not afraid when you are near, because I know 
you won’t let any harm come to me. I am so 
happy and love you so dearly that I wish I could 
live forever and always be with you,” Nina said. 

“ Now, dear, that is just the way you must feel 
toward your heavenly Father. He is wiser, truer, 
stronger by far than I am, and so willing to- help 
you when you ask him. He will be with you and 
love you when I am away from you. What would 
you do, Nina, if — if I should never return?” 

“Oh, mamma, mamma! you will come back, 
won’t you ?” cried the child, melting into tears and 
clasping her arms around her mother. 

“ Hush, dear ; of course I’ll come back — if 
God permits it. There, there; I hear the doctor 
coming.” 

Mrs. Boise wiped the tears from Nina’s eyes 
and tried hard to keep back her own. 

“Well, Miss Nina, what do you think of this 
fine scheme of mine?” said the doctor, taking her 
small hand. 


A KENTUCKY STORY. 


1 1 

“ What scheme, sir ?” she asked. 

“ Why, the scheme of sending this sick mother 
of yours over the water to get well/’ he explained. 

“Will it make her quite well, doctor?” ques- 
tioned Nina, earnestly. 

“ To be sure it will !” he replied. “ I shouldn’t 
want to send any one all the way across the ocean 
for nothing! Who do you think would want Dr. 
Jones if he sent people on wild goose chases in 
that kind of style?” 

“Will she have to stay very long, doctor?” 
asked Nina/ 

“ Well, my dear, I can not say. It will depend 
upon circumstances,” he said, taking his patient’s 
wrist and looking attentively into her face. “Little 
lady,” he exclaimed, turning to Nina presently, “ I 
have a little business with you. Weren’t you to 
be my nurse? Well, Miss Nursy, this lady I put 
under your care is not so well.. You have been 
letting her get nervous. Excitement is very bad 
for her. She may laugh all she wants to, but you 
must see to it that she does not cry. I want her 
to start as soon as she can possibly get up. The 
quicker she gets away, the greater is her chance 
of getting well quick. Don’t look so sober about 
it, little girl. All you have to do is just to let 


12 


THE) STAGE) OF HIED : 


mamma be ‘like a mouse’ — very quiet, you under- 
stand. Well, good-morning, Mrs. Boise. I’ll be 
back to-morrow.” 

“ Poor woman !” he said to himself as he went 
out; “ I hope she will live to get to the other side. 
And poor little girl ! poor little girl ! How for- 
lorn and pathetic she looked at the prospect of 
parting from her mother! Well, well, she’s young 
and a child, and will doubtless forget and be happy 
in a few weeks, at most !” 

Ah, doctor, children don’t always “ forget in a 
few weeks,” or a few months, or a few years, and 
this child will not. 

“ Mamma,” said Nina, “ I’m going to write to 
you every day, and tell you all I’m doing. I can 
pretend I’m talking to you, can’t I ? Then I won’t 
be so lonesome. I wish I had seen my Aunt 
Frances and Uncle Tom. Uncle Tom is your only 
brother, isn’t he? And is Aunt Frances papa’s 
only sister?” 

“ Yes, dear, they are the only aunt and uncle 
you have,” her mother replied. 

“ Do you think they will like me, mamma ?” 

“ Of course they will like you, my child. You 
must be good, and they can’t help loving you.” 

“ Do yc u love them, mamma?” asked Nina. 


A KENTUCKY STORY. 


13 


“ Well, Nina, it has been a long time since I’ve 
seen them, but they are our only relations, and I 
feel very kindly toward them for promising to take 
such good care of you, darling. You will find 
them different from us, perhaps, not like papa and 
mamma, but I hope you will love them and they 
will love you. You’ll have a nice little cousin 
there, near your own age. You m'ust help Auntie 
in all that she wants you to, and be sweet to your 
cousin.” 

“ Mamma, I want to have so many things done 
to show you when you come back,” said Nina. 
“ I am going to be such a good girl, mamma, and 
I’m going to pray every day for you to get well. 
I will try and trust in God the way you said. I 
wish I was as good as you are, mamma; but I’ll 
try so hard to be good, and then we will meet in 
heaven some day, if — if — not on earth. ” 

Tears were running down her cheeks again. 

“ My dear, you are getting sad, and mamma 
will get the blues. Come, we must be as cheerful 
as we can. I sometimes think, dearest, losing me 
may be the means of your getting a better friend.” 

“ What friend, mamma, in the whole world 
could be better or as good as you ?” 

“ The Friend, dear^ ‘ that sticketh closer than 


14 the: stage: of life:: 

a brother’ — or a mother!” she said. “What do 
you want mamma to get you before you start?” 
she added, in a bright tone. 

“ Why, am I going alone, mamma?” asked 
Nina. 

“ Papa can not go, dear, nor can I, but we will 
trust you in the keeping of some one,” said her 
mother. 

“ All I want you to get me are paper and things 
to write to you with,” said Nina. 

“ I shall get you a Bible, Nina, and I want you 
to read it often. What kind of a Bible would you 
like?” asked Mrs. Boise. 

“Any you select will please me, mamma, and I 
want your name in it, too. I’ll read it often, and 
will pray always for you to return to me well. Do 
you suppose, mamma, God will grant that one 
thing?” 

“ If you trust, believing, I believe he will,” said 
Mrs. Boise. “ You must feel toward him as you 
would toward me. Wouldn’t you ask me for a 
dress, believing I would get it for you?” 

“Yes, mamma,” Nina answered; “ of course I 
would believe you would get it for me.” 

“Well, when you ask God for anything, just 
believe he will grant it, and you will surely be 


A KENTUCKY STORY. 


15 


satisfied,” said Mrs t Boise. “ Come, dear, and 
look at your trunk and your nice new clothes.” 

“ I always wanted a trunk, but, oh, dear, now 
that I have one, I can see nothing but sadness in 
it. It — it looks like a — a coifin to me !” 

“ Well, daughter, that will all vanish after a 
while, and you will then enjoy the things mother 
has got for you.” 

“ How can I enjoy anything until you return, 
mamma? Oh, when you return, won’t we be 
happy then ! I wonder who will care for me on 
the journey to Uncle’s. It will be strange to go 
anywhere without you, mamma.” 

“ I should love to take you to Uncle’s and see 
you settled, but I can’t, dear. Your father said he 
would find some friend who was going to Knox- 
ville within a few days, who would take charge of 
you; and, my precious child, you will have the 
same eye to watch over you there that you have 
here — the all-seeing, ever-seeing eye of God.” 

“ Oh,” said Nina, “ if I could only trust God as 
you do, mamma !” 


CHAPTER III. 


“ Thy path is plain and straight: that light is given 

Onward in faith! and leave the rest to heaven. ” 

“ Come in, Aunt Jane,” said Mrs. Boise, as the 
black face of the colored “ aunty,” who had been 
Nina’s nurse, appeared at the half-open door. 
“ How do you feel to-day?” 

“ Well, jis’ toTa’ble, Missus. I jis’ come up to 
see Miss Nina ’fore she go away. I had a luck 
cha’m I wanted fer to give her. It’s gole. Aunt 
Jane foun’ it when she was a slave, an’ she made 
a wish, an’ sho as the sun do shine it come true ! 
I want my Nina chile to make a wish, an’ wear the 
cha’m all the time her ma is gone, an’ it will sho’ly 
bring her luck. But we mus’ all pray that we may 
meet again in this ole worl’, fer lemme tell you, 
chile, Aunt Jane do feel pow’ful bad sometimes, 
an’ seems like I’se jis’ waitin’ that summons, 
‘ Chile, come home ’ ; an’ then I git to thinkin’ 
’bout Peter an’ John an’ all that’s gone afore, an’ 
I jis’ think, ‘ You ole black Jane, you don’ need 
to be a-feared’ ; but when you’s gone away, little 
Missis, Aunt Jane won’t have no one to bring her 
somethin’ to eat when she’s sick; an’ how I’ll hate 
to see the ole home here without my chile 


A KENTUCKY STORY. I *] 

Nina took the charm. Upon one side was 
engraved : 

“ I will not forsake thee in dark hours of need. ” 

“ Oh, mamma !” said Nina, “ that seems as if 
it was God speaking to me. I will always wear it, 
Aunt Jane; and dear, old, black Auntie, will you 
pray for me?” 

“God bless you, honey. Of cou’se I will pray 
fer you ; less see, ’bout eight at night an’ ’bout six 
eb’ry mawnin’ ; an’ now good-by. God bless you, 
chile, and yo’r sweet ma.” 

Nina threw both arms around Aunt Jane’s 
waist and began to cry. “ Oh, Aunt Jane, I won’t 
see any one but strangers, may be, ever again!” 

“ Don’ you cry, honey,” said the good old soul. 
“ You’s good, an’ the Uawd ’ll take care o’ you.” 

After Aunt Jane had gone, Mrs. Boise took 
from her casket a slender gold chain, placed the 
charm on it, and locked it around Nina’s neck. 

“ Mamma,” said she, looking up with tears in 
her sweet blue eyes, “ Mamma, that shall stay 
locked until you return. You please keep the 
key.” 

Mrs. Boise then talked to Nina long and earn- 
estly about life and duty, what true living was, and 
what God expected of all his children. The child 
listened attentively, then she talked, telling her 
( 2 ) 


THE STAGE of life: 


1,8 

mother her thoughts and feelings, her hopes and 
fears, and asking all manner of questions. Her 
very soul drank in her mother’s replies, for she 
felt that this beautiful mother, whom she loved so 
dearly, and whom she regarded the whole eleven 
years of her life as the one fountain of infallible 
wisdom and goodness, would soon be far, far away 
from her. Occasionally, when a full realization of 
what this meant came over her, her little heart 
would almost stop beating, her face grow white 
with fear. Then she would put her arms around 
her mother and gaze into her face, and the mother 
would understand and would strain her child to 
her heart, and talk on, trying to calm her child’s 
fears. 

Tate in the afternoon a message came from 
Mr. Boise, saying that he would not be home to 
tea, and that he might be detained down town 
until late. So Mrs. Boise and Nina had to have 
their tea without him ; and afterwards, when bed- 
time came, Mrs. Boise, invalid though she was, 
would not deny herself the pleasure of putting 
Nina to bed, as she used to do when Nina was a 
little child. She held her in her arms and heard 
her precious one’s prayer to God for safe-keeping 
through the night, then tucked her in bed and sang 
to her until the child, made happy by her mother’s 
loving ministrations, fell asleep. 


A KENTUCKY vSTORY. 1 9 

When Mr. Boise came home, some hours later, 
his first words were : “ Well, I have found a fine 
opportunity for Nina at last.” 

His poor wife could not reply. He little real- 
ized what a pang went through her heart. Her 
face grew white ; her lips were thin and blue ; but 
she only closed her eyes and kept quite still. 

“ I am so glad to be relieved of that burden, 
and now we can get off directly. ’Tis time, I’m 
sure, for, dear, you look worse every day,” he said. 

“A burden!” thought Mrs. Boise; “that pre- 
cious child, the light of my heart, the breath of 
my body, a burden!” “When will she start, and 
with whom?” she asked, faintly. 

“ Early to-morrow morning with Mrs. Knight 
and her daughter and servant,” replied Mr. Boise. 
“ So you see the child will be well taken care of. 
Such a fine opportunity. Captain Knight you’ve 
heard me speak of, and a better man or truer gen- 
tleman never lived. I have known him a long 
time. 1 went with him to see his wife this even- 
ing. She is a very handsome woman, and was 
quite pleasant ; seemed very willing to have Nina 
go with her. She will come for Nina at six in the 
morning.” 

“ So early !” exclaimed Mrs. Boise. “ Why, 
Sarah won’t have breakfast ready by that time.” 


20 


THE STAGE OE ElEE : 


“ Well, that won’t matter. They will get their 
breakfast on the boat,” said Mr. Boise. 

“ On the boat !” repeated his wife. 

“Yes; they go by boat as far as Kingston, a 
distance, I should say, of some three hundred miles 
from Louisville ; then they have several hours’ ride 
in a stage-coach before reaching Knoxville.” 

“ Do you think I’d better call Nina and tell 
her?” asked Mrs. Boise. • 

“ No, indeed. My dear wife, what are you 
thinking of? You would both get so worked up 
you couldn’t sleep, and she would not be fit, when 
morning comes, to start. I’ll see that she is 
wakened early enough in the morning, and she 
won’t lay awake to-night thinking about her trip.” 

“ Well,” said Mrs. Boise, “ if she must go, I 
shall have to pack up her precious little things 
to-night.” 

“ Can’t I do it? You ought to be in bed and 
asleep,” said Mr. Boise. 

“ No, no ! I prefer to do it myself,” his wife 
replied. 

Nina’s things were all ready, and it did not take 
Mrs. Boise long to put them in the new trunk that 
stood waiting for them. No one but God and the 
suffering, grief-stricken mother knew what bitter 


A KENTUCKY STORY. 


21 


tears fell in the trunk with them. When she had 
finished this last “ labor of love ” she could per- 
form for her darling child, she stood by Nina’s 
bed a moment. The child’s lips were moving. 
Mrs. Boise bent over her and caught the words, 
“ Mamma, my mamma !” The mother knelt by 
the little bed and prayed, oh, so- earnestly, that 
God would take care of her child. A deep, heart- 
rending groan escaped the poor lady, and then her 
husband came in. 

“ My wife, are you suffering? What is the 
matter?” he said. 

“ Oh, I can’t let my child go ! I can’t, I can’t !” 
she cried. 

“ Come, dear,” he said, lifting her from her 
knees and leading her to her own room. “ You 
are tired and nervous. You must not worry about 
Nina. She will be well taken care of. My sister 
is anxious to have her, and you know your brother 
has written four or five letters assuring us they will 
do all in their power to make her contented and 
happy.” 

Mrs. Boise went to bed, but the poor woman 
lay awake nearly all night. Not until toward 
morning did she get a few hours of fitful sleep. 

When she awoke Mr. Boise was up and dressed. 


22 


the: stage: ot life:: 


“What time is it?” she asked. 

“ It’s after five, and time to wake Nina,” he 
said ; “ but had you not better lie still ? She can 
come here and tell you ‘ good-by,’ and I’ll see 
her off.” 

“ Indeed I must at least go to the door with 
her. Do you think I could lie here when she was 
leaving?” and with that Mrs. Boise arose and 
began making a hasty toilet. 

“Nina! Nina!” she heard her husband call; 
“ time to get up, daughter. You start this morn- 
ing with Mrs. Knight. She will be here at six, 
and you must be ready.” 

“ How did she take it?” asked Mrs. Boise when 
he returned. 

“As a sensible child should,” he replied; “did 
not move a muscle in her face.” 

“ God help us !” sighed Mrs. Boise. 

“ Now you have begun. My dear wife, do try 
and control yourself,” said her husband. 

After Nina had taken in the full meaning of 
what her father had said, she lay a moment with 
wide-open, staring eyes. She wanted to scream, 
but did not. Instead she arose and dressed her- 
self with feverish haste, then rushed to her mother 
and threw her arms around her. How they clung 



Nina’s Grief at the Separation from her Mother 












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A KENTUCKY STORY. 


23 


to each other ! Both were afraid this sad embrace 
might be their last on earth. The dear little head, 
the mother thought, would never rest upon her 
bosom again, and this would be the last time for- 
ever that she could press these precious lips to her 
own. She felt that death would no more have 
power to give her pain after this parting was over ; 
indeed, the parting of soul and body would then be 
welcome, she thought. 

They heard Mr. Boise talking to some men who 
were taking out Nina’s trunk, and presently he 
brought his daughter’s hat and said that the car- 
riage was there. Together mother and child went 
to the door. 

“ God bless you, my darling child !” said Mrs. 
Boise, “ and make you his own, — and bring you 
to me — where parting can not be !” 

Nina felt as if her heart would burst. She 
screamed and held to her mother. “ Don’t make 
me go ! Don’t make me go !” she cried wildly, 
and almost fell in a convulsion. Her face was 
black and blue, and the blood ran from her nose. 

Her father wiped her face, then with the 
driver’s help took her away by force and carried 
her to the carriage, saying as he kissed her : 
“ Good-by, daughter ; I am sorry to see you act 


2 4 


THE STAGE OE i,iEE: 


so. She will soon recover, Mrs. Knight,” he said, 
placing her beside the maid ; “ and I am sure you 
will have no further trouble with her. She is 
usually a good, obedient child.” 

Mrs. Knight murmured some polite speech, and 
the carriage drove away to the boat. 


CHAPTER IV. 


Mrs. Knight looked more displeased than sorry 
as her eyes rested on the suffering child opposite 
her. “ Well, if I’d known Captain Knight was get- 
ting me into this,” she thought, “ I should have 
thought twice before I allowed it.” She felt more 
and more chagrined and put-upon as they got 
nearer the river and Ninta’s sobs did not abate. 

Miss Emma Knight and the maid seemed much 
amused at the child’s “ carrying-on,” as they 
termed it. They commented freely on her appear- 
ance, too. Her clothes were not quite so fashion- 
able and “ up-to-date ” as the Knights’. 

When they arrived at the landing, Nina had 
grown a little calmer, but still sobbed, and her eyes 
and face were red and swollen. She sat in her 
corner of the carriage waiting for the others to 
get out. 

“ Well, little Miss, aren’t you going to get out? 
or do you think you can just ‘ carriage-ride ’ the 
whole journey?” Mrs. Knight said to her, in no 
amiable tone of voice. 

Nina quietly got out without replying. 

“ Get the child’s wrap. She seems to have lost 


2 6 


THE STAGE OF LITE: 


what little wits she ever had,” Mrs. Knight said 
crossly to her maid, when she noticed Nina had 
left her cloak in the seat behind her. Nina tried 
to thank the maid, but her sobs choked her. 

After they got on board the boat, they took 
Nina into the reception room, and Mrs. Knight 
told her she had better stay there, as she was “ too 
sorry a looking figure ” to be seen with her on 
deck. 

The poor child buried her face in her lap to 
kill her sobs, and heard Miss Knight say to a 
friend who had come up to speak to her: “ Isn’t 
she a sight ! And we’ve got to be bothered with 
her all the way through !” 

As soon as Nina felt that their attention was 
diverted from her, she crawled under the steps to 
hide herself and her sorrow. Later, when break- 
fast was announced, Mrs. Knight’s maid found her 
there, and told her that her mistress wanted to 
know u if that child looked fit to be seen at the 
table yet.” 

“ Tell Mrs. Knight I’m not hungry and don’t 
want any breakfast,” said Nina. 

While they were all eating she went on deck. 
She sat by the railing and looked sadly into the 
water. People who passed noticed her sad little 
face and heard her deep sobs, but said nothing to 


A KENTUCKY STORY. 


27 


her. Her thoughts were of how perfectly happy 
she had been only the night before, and of how 
wretched and alone in the world she felt now. 
'* Oh, how I want my miamma !” she said to herself. 

“ My little friend, what is the matter ? Why 
are you crying?” said a gentleman, coming up to 
her and kindly holding out his hand. 

“ I have lost my precious, precious mother,” 
said Nina, between her sobs. 

“ How have you lost her?” he asked. 

“ Oh, sir, she is ill, and has to go to Europe, 
or she will die, and — and may be she — she will 
die there. I am so afraid I’ll never see her again 
in this world — but — but in heaven I will, won’t 
I? Oh, if heaven wasn’t such a long way off!” 
sobbed the child. 

“You are a little angel. Come, don’t cry. I 
reckon you’ll see your mother long before you get 
to heaven,” said the stranger. “ What is your 
name?” 

“ Nina Boise, sir,” she said, looking into his 
pleasant' face. 

“ Well, Miss Nina, my name is Major Jones. 
Now, then, we are acquainted, and you can tell me 
where you are going, and whom you are with, and, 
oh, everything,” he said, trying to divert her mind 
from the sorrow that absorbed it. 


28 


the: stage: of life:: 


“ I am going to Knoxville to live with 
strangers,” she answered. “ They are relations, 
but strangers to me. The people I am with are 
strangers, too, and I’m a — a bother to them. 
How I wish I wasn’t here ! The young lady said 
I was a sight. She said my clothes were old- 
fashioned, and — and that I looked like Samantha. 
I do not know her at all. Do you, Major Jones?” 

“Never mind; it doesn’t matter what people 
say; just forget it all; and you need not bother 
them any more. There is a charming young lady, 
a friend of mine, on board, who is going nearly as 
far as you are. I’ll ask her to look out for you,” 
said the Major. 

“ May be she will not want to, so just let me 
look after myself,” said Nina. “ I have God for 
my friend, haven’t I? And I know he loves me, 
and I know he has put this trouble upon me for 
some wise reason and to make me a good girl. 
My mamma has often told me how much he loves 
us all. I am going to try to be good, and then 
God will let my mamma return to me, won’t he, 
Major Jones?” 

“ I hope so, my dear, with all my heart,” he 
said. “ Now I’ll go and hunt up the young lady 
I spoke of. I’m sure you and she will like each 
other; you can’t help it.” 


A KENTUCKY STORY. 


2 9 


“ What a beautiful child !” said the Major to 
himself as he walked away, much impressed with 
her sorrow and her faith. 

“ Miss Alice,” he said, when he found that 
young lady, “ there is a little girl on deck, named 
Nina Boise, whom I want you to meet. She is in 
the care of strangers, but is practically alone, and 
is in great distress over being separated from her 
mother, who, it seems, must go to Europe for her 
health. A sweeter, more attractive looking little 
girl you won’t often find, and I’ll esteem it a favor 
if you’ll make friends with her. She, like you, 
believes in the sovereignty and love of God,” he 
added. “ Will you hunt her up?” 

“ Certainly,” replied Miss Alice ; “ I’ll find her 
at once. I feel quite complimented to be asked.” 

With that she went on deck and soon found 
Nina. She introduced herself kindly, saying that 
her friend, Major Jones, had sent her. Then this 
sweet young lady sat down by the sad, grief- 
stricken little girl, and talked to her the rest of the 
morning. When dinner-time came she put her 
arm around Nina, saying, “ Come, dear, and go 
with me to dinner.” 

“You are so kind to me, Miss Alice,” said 
Nina: “but I don’t feel as if I could swallow a 
bite. You go on and I’ll stay here till you come 
back.” 


30 


THE STAGE OE EIEE: 


“ But, my child, you must at least have a cup 
of tea. I’ll bring it to you,” said Miss Alice, softly 
smoothing Nina’s hair. 

“ No, don’t, please. I do not want it,” Nina 
said, but her friend was already gone. 

A half hour later Mrs. Knight passed to some 
chairs on the other side of the deck and caught a 
glimpse of Nina as the child was trying to swallow 
the tea and eat the tea-cakes Miss Alice had 
brought her. Major Jones had just bought some 
fruit and candy for her, and was asking her which 
she wanted first. 

“ Well,” said Mrs. Knight to her daughter, 
“ that Boise child won’t starve, if she does stay 
away from her meals.” 

Major Jones and Miss Alice were more and 
more attracted by Nina, and were very kind and 
attentive to her. They asked her to go over the 
boat with them and see the different parts. She 
went, but could not get interested in anything. 
She seemed sad and preoccupied, and finally said 
she w r ould like to go to her state-room and rest. 

“ Shall I go with you ?” asked Miss Alice. 

“ No, no ! You like the lovely breeze, and must 
not go in on my account,” said Nina, and left them. 

Toward evening the Major and Miss Alice were 


A KENTUCKY STORY. 


31 


again sauntering around the deck, when they were 
stopped by Judge Jones, a cousin of the Major’s. 

“ Well, Judge, I’m glad to see you. This is 
Miss Alice White, Judge Jones,” said the Major. 

“ I’m delighted to meet you, Miss White,” said 
Judge Jones. “ Saw you at dinner, but you were 
only there a few minutes.” 

“ Where have you been all afternoon, Judge?” 
asked the Major. 

“Asleep,” said Judge Jones, “ but was wakened 
by hearing the sweetest prayer from a child; I 
think in the next state-room to mine. She seemed 
to be praying for her mother, who was sick and 
away from her. I declare it stirred me to the 
bottom of my heart.” 

“ Yes, I’ll tell you about that child while Miss 
Alice hunts her up and gets her to eat some supper. 
She was just starting on that errand when we met 
you,” said Major Jones. 

A few minutes later Miss Alice knocked at 
Nina’s door and found the child lying in her berth 
with traces of tears on her face again. 

“ Were you asleep, Nina?” she asked. “ Come, 
get ready and go to supper with me. You are 
going to be a good, sweet little girl, and eat a 
nice, big supper. 1 find the other berth in your 


32 


THE STAGE OE EIEE: 


state-room is not occupied, and I’ve made arrange- 
ments to stay in here with you to-night, so you 
won’t feel so lonely, little girl.” 

Nina got up and bathed her face, then went 
with Miss Alice to the dining-room, more to please 
her than anything else. She was touched by the 
sweet young lady’s kind solicitude for her. 

“Miss Alice, I love you,” said Nina; “but I 
can’t eat very much.” 

“ Well, dear, no one can do more than their 
best,” said Miss Alice, handing her a big glass of 
milk. “ There, begin on that.” 

After supper Nina thought she ought to hunt 
up the Knights. She had seen nothing of them 
since morning. 

“ Oh, Mrs. Knight,” she said, when she found 
her, “ I want to thank you for your kindness in 
taking charge of me. I am sorry I was such a 
trouble to you. If I can ever do anything for you, 
I shall be glad to repay you ; but if I can’t help you 
in any other way, you — you have my prayers.” 

“ Prayers, nonsense !” Mrs. Knight replied. “ I 
do not care for prayers, and you can not help me 
in any way. You have been a care and a trouble, 
but would have been more had not some one felt 
for me and relieved me, to an extent.” 


A KENTUCKY STORY. 


33 


“ I am sorry, and I hope you will never be 
bothered with me again,” said Nina. 

“Well, you need not worry; I will surely not. 
My husband is one of the soft, say-nothing kind. 
He is always being imposed on by his friends, and 
this time he got me in it. But ’tis bed-time now, 
and you’d better retire.” 

Mrs. Knight was the kind of woman — alas ! 
that others should be such — who considered chil- 
dren a nuisance, and never thought it worth while 
to show them the least consideration or even 
politeness. 

Nina went slowly to her state-room with tears 
rolling down her cheeks again. “ How glad I 
am,” she said to herself, “ that Miss Alice is going 
to stay with me to-night ! Oh, dear ! only last 
night I was so happy with my sweet, darling 
mamma, and now — now I have no mother, no 
home, and am alone — no, never alone , for mamma 
said God would always be with me. I wonder if 
I can remember that song mamma sang, ‘ Never 
Alone.’ ” 

Then she hummed softly: 

“ When in affliction's valley 
I’m treading the road of care, 

My Savior helps me carry 
My cross when heavy to bear. 

( 3 ) 


34 


The stage of life : 


When my feet are entangled with briers, 

Ready to cast me down. 

My Savior whispers his promise — 

‘ I will never leave thee alone. ” 

No, never alone; no, never alone; 

He promised never to leave me, 

Never to leave me alone. 

He died for me on the mountain; 

For me they pierced his side; 

For me he opened that fountain, — 

The crimson cleansing tide; 

For me he ’s waiting in glory, 

Seated upon his throne; 

He promised never to leave me, 

Never to leave me alone. ” 

When, an hour later, Miss Alice White went 
into Nina’s state-room, the child had fallen asleep. 
Miss Alice looked earnestly at the trustful, sensi- 
tive little faoe. “ The dear,” she said ; “ I hope 
she will find sympathy and love where she is going. 
I know one person in Knoxville who will be sweet 
to her, and I’ll write to her to-morrow.” 


CHAPTER V. 


It was late the next afternoon when the stage- 
coach in which Nina and the Knights were seated 
approached Knoxville. Nina had bade Miss White 
and Major Jones an affectionate good-by in the 
morning, on leaving the boat. The Knights, after 
once seeing that she was on the stage, paid no 
more attention to her. The journey had been long 
and tiresome, and the little girl felt very weary 
and lonely. 

“ I hope my new relations will care for me,” 
she thought. “ I’ll try so hard to be good, and 
then they will. I’ll remember what mamma said 
about making myself useful, too. 1 can mend hose 
and sew on buttons, and do many things to help 
my Aunt Frances.” *. 

Soon she arrived at her uncle’s house. 

“And this is Nina, is it?” 

“Yes, ma’am. Is this my Aunt Frances?” 
replied Nina, looking into the handsome but hard 
face of the tall lady who had greeted her. Her 
heart sank within her, she knew not why. 

“ Yes, I’m your Aunt Frances, and this is your 
Uncle Thomas, and this is my daughter Jeannetta,” 


3 ^ 


THE STAGE OF UFE : 


she said, as she turned to them. “ Come to your 
room and take off your things, for tea will soon be 
ready. You must go to the lavatory to wash,” 
she continued, leading the way to Nina’s room. 
“ I really did not have room for you, but your 
father was so anxious for me to take you that I 
consented. They say your mother will not get 
well. They fear she will not live to cross the 
water. Well, you are acting quite silly. I hope 
you’re not a cry-baby. 1 can’t stand that kind of 
thing around me. Come along now to tea.” 

“ Thank you, Aunt Frances, but I have a head- 
ache, and do not want any supper,” said Nina. 

“ Oh, bosh! You must eat whether you want 
it or not. You have to mind me if you stay in 
my house, and I suppose I’ll have you the rest of 
my days, or until your father marries again,” her 
aunt said. 

They soon sat down to tea, but poor Nina could 
not swallow a bite. To please her aunt she made 
a pretense of eating, however, and when tea was 
over she was allowed to retire. 

“ So this is my new home,” she thought, when 
she got to her room. “ How stiff and cold they 
all are to me ! Oh, I do wish I could see my 
mamma and be with her ! They tell me I’ll never 
see her again ! Oh, if I could kiss her ‘ good- 


A KENTUCKY STORY. 


37 


night/ as 1 used to such a short time ago! But 
those happy days are gone, and I can never look 
in her sweet face again. Why , oh, why didn't my 
papa let me go ? I wonder if my mamma’s think- 
ing of me now. Perhaps she is ! I must try to go 
to sleep, so I will say ‘ good-night ’ to myself — 
and — God be with both mamma and me.” 

She knew no more until a loud rap awakened 
her the next morning and some one said : “ Miss 
Nina, Miss Frances wants to know if you are 
going to sleep all day: She says we can’t keep 
breakfast so long.” 

Nina jumped up from her bed in fright, saying : 
“ I am so sorry.” 

After dressing herseif she hastened down, and 
was met by her aunt with a frown. 

“ Nina,” she said, “ this is against my rules ; 
up at six you must be after this; to. bed at eight. 
I am afraid you are lazy. When you finish your 
breakfast, come to the library.” 

“ V^ery well, Aunt Frances,” said Nina, as her 
aunt left the room. She ate a hearty breakfast and 
went into the library. 

“Aunt Frances, I am here. What will you 
have ?” 

“ I want you to understand my rules, Nina. I 
have told you the time to get up and when to 


38 


THE STAGE OF UFE : 


retire. Now I want you to clean your room, the 
three halls, and do the dusting. I am going to 
dismiss the chambermaid, and you will have to do 
part of the work.” 

“ Very well, Aunt Frances. Mamma said for 
me to do all you told me to. I want to be as 
useful as I can.” 

“ You must put everything in its place ; nothing 
must be amiss,” her aunt went on. “ You must 
obey your cousin as well as your uncle and me. 
When we have company, you must not intrude or 
be in the way. You know, Nina, it is a bother to 
have you here at all. You may write to your 
mother once a month.” 

“ Oh, auntie ! mamma said I could write every 
day to her,” exclaimed Nina. 

“ But you have nothing to do with your mother 
now. I am ‘ boss.’ Do you understand ?” 

“ Yes, ma’am, I understand; but I do wish you 
would let me write every week, then. My poor, 
dear, sick mamma expects to hear from me.” 

“ Writing so often will be a waste of time. She 
will not live long anyway. Now none of that cry- 
ing,” said her aunt, as Nina’s eyes filled with tears. 
“ You, I think, are going to be a great bother. I 
shall have your uncle put you in a convent, if you 
don’t watch out,” 


A KENTUCKY STORY. 39 

“ Miss Frances, a caller, please,” announced a 
servant. 

“ Very well,” she answered, and presently left 
the library. 

“Oh, dear! This is my new home. Well, I 
am glad she had a caller; wish some one would 
call on her all the time,” Nina said to herself as 
she went to her task. 

By dinner-time she had finished the work her 
aunt assigned her, and 1 in the afternoon, alone in 
her room, was thinking of what her aunt had said 
to her. 

“Aunt Frances is not like my dear, precious 
mamma,” she said to herself. “ Uncle Thomas is 
like ice, but she is worse. Such cold people, they 
seem dreadful to me; but here I am complaining 
and crying, and mamma told me not to. I am 
surely going to write to my mother, though, each 
day, and aunt can’t stop me. I will mind her in 
all things but those I promised mamma. The 
promises I made her and God, I will keep !” Thfe 
door opened. 

“ What is that, little Miss, you are saying, you 
will keep? I heard you, and let me tell you now 
and for all time, you have me to mind,” her aunt 
said. 

“Aunt Frances, I do not wish to. give you any 


4 ° 


the: stage: oe i,iee: 


trouble, and let me say that, though I am here 
against my wishes, I will obey you in all things but 
this one : I must write to my mother every day. 
I do not want to be stubborn — I think if — if you 
knew how much I loved my poor, dear mother, you 
would not forbid my writing to her.” 

“ Well, you heard me. You must obey me in 
all things. This afternoon you may have to do 
as you please, but after this I shall find you some- 
thing to do.” Her aunt closed the door and left 
Nina once more to herself. 

“ Oh, fool !” said Nina — “ I am sorry I called 
her a fool, but what is she ? She provokes me so. 
I must be in a hurry and write to mamma. There 
is mv paper just as those dear mother hands fixed 
it for me. If I could only touch the hem of her 
dress, I should be so happy ! I would never worry 
her again as long as I lived, if I could just see her 
and be with her. What a sad world this is, but 
wouldn’t it be a bright one if mamma and I could 
only be together again ! I’m afraid I can’t write 

mamma a very cheerful letter.” She wrote : 

• 

My dearest , precious Mamma: 

I am ever so happy to v write to you, and so sad, too. 
;I do wish I could kiss you. I feel as if I would never 
take my lips away from yours. Oh, dear mamma, every- 
body is so funny. They are not as I like. 

I do not like auntie much, nor cousin, nor uncle much 


A KENTUCKY STORY. 


4 1 


better. They are as cold as ice with me. They talk to 
me as if I was a dog. They are going to send my trunk 
to the attic. 

I look at your picture every few minutes, mamma. 
Aunt is tall, has black eyes and dark hair; she might be 
pretty if she was good. They do not go to prayer-meet- 
ing, though they go to parties often. They do not seem 
to care about being good at all. 

Little cousin has no Bible; she has everything else. 
I do hope you will soon be well, and we can be at home 
as we used to. I wish I could hug you, mamma; I do 
love you so much. Now goodbye, and goodbye, with all 
my love. I am your lone, little girl, 

Nina Boise. 

“ Miss Frances says, ‘ Come to supper/ Nina; 
be quick, do not delay,” said Hannah, the house- 
maid. 

“ Thank you, Hannah,” said Hina, “ I am ready 
and will go right down.” 

“ Nina, how have you been spending the after- 
noon ? ” said Aunt Frances, when she got to the 
table. 

“Very pleasantly, indeed; I’ve been writing 
to my mother.” 

“ Well, Nina, I must see all letters going from 
this house and all returning.” 

“Auntie, I sent the letter by the postman just as 
1 came in to supper,” said Nina, with a little gasp. 
“ I did not know that you wished to see it.” 

“ You do not seem to know anything but your- 


42 


THE STAGE OE UEE : 


self and your mother. I am going to have my 
hands full with you, I see. Well, eat your supper, 
and then you can go to bed, and remember, up at 
six in the morning. And, Nina, in speaking to 
your cousin, please call her 4 Cousin Netta.’ It 
is more respectful than simply ‘ Netta.’ ” 

“ Well, it is a scolding, breakfast, dinner and 
supper,” Nina said, when she got to her room. 
“ I wonder how I can stand this life. I suppose, 
though, it is kind of them to have me here. I 
do wonder why Netta does not like me, and why 
they all treat me so. Oh! this is Aunt Jane. I’m 
glad you came up to stay with me a while; I am 
so lonely,” said Nina, as the kind face of the negro 
cook appeared at the door. “ I have a black Aunt 
Jane at home,” she went on, “and I love you, 
aunty, if you are black. Aunt Jane, my mamma 
has gone to Europe to get well, but my Aunt 
Frances tells me, to die. I told mamma I was 
afraid I would see no friends when I left her, but 
she told me the earth was full of angels if I could 
but see and hear them.” 

Aunt Jane nodded and Nina went on : “Mamma 
said the white spire pointing upward, the oak 
reaching out its branches, the lark battling with 
the storm that beats her down, are all angels. 
They teach us to look upward, to think of heaven, 


A KENTUCKY STORY. 


43 


the place of happiness, the home of the good — a 
world without separation, death or trouble.” 

“ Yes, honey, that is all true. You’ mamma 
mus’ a’ been a mighty sweet lady. You’s a good, 
kind little thing yo’se’f, an’ I want to know if you’ll 
read to me sometimes, nights, when I come up 
here. ’Cause, honey, I can’t read. An’ I got a 
piece a’ paper here now I foun’ jes’ as I come 
up the street this ev’nin’. You read it, little Miss, 
and see what it says.” 

Nina took the slip of paper and read: 

“ There is no grave on earth’s broad 1 chart 
But has some bird to cheer it; 

So hope sings on in every heart, * 

Although we may not hear it’; 

And if to-day the heavy wings 
Of sorrow are oppressing, 

Perchance to-morrow’s sun may bring 
The weary heart a blessing. ” 

“ Why, that is good, Aunt Jane; it seems as if 
it was written just for me, doesn’t it? You don’t 
know how much better I feel since you came up to 
see me. Come as often as you can,” Nina said, 
as Aunt Jane rose to go. 

‘Yes, honey, that I will; I knows my frien’s if 
I is black. Good night, little Miss.” 

“ Poor, kind, old negro — but she seems 
happy,” thought Nina, after she had gone. “ Why 


44 


THE STAGE OE UEE : 


do I say ‘ poor ’ and pity her ? I feel sorry for 
every one, I suppose, because my own heart is sad 
and heavy.” 

“ With a yearning sad and deep, 

By the fireside, lone and dreary, 

I sit me down and weep! 

Where is my precious mother’s voice, 

To whose dear, bird-like tones 
Some other ear now listens, 

Less anxious than my own. 

“ Yet, no! despair shall sink me not, 

While life and love remain; 

Though the weary struggle haunt me, 

And my prayer be made in vain; 

. Though at times my spirit fail me, 

And the bitter teardrops fall, 

Though my lot be hard and lonely, 

Yet 1 hope and trust through all. ” 


CHAPTER VI. 


“ Good afternoon, Mrs. St. Clair. I heard you 
had a little visitor, Miss Nina Boise, who is a 
friend of a friend of mine, Miss Alice White; I 
called to see her,” said an attractive young lady, 
who was shown into the parlor one afternoon, 
where Mrs. St. Clair was entertaining a visitor. 

“ Well, Miss Kaughman,” replied Mrs. St. 
Clair, “ I am sorry indeed, but she is out. She 
is a great bother, and I send her out as much as 
possible. She is ‘ cranky ’ about religion, just like 
her mother, who has gone to Europe — to die, I 
suppose. Her mother is my husband’s only sister ; 
we would not have taken her otherwise, for besides 
being a great care, we are afraid she will get some 
of her ‘ cranky * religious notions into our Janetta’s 
head. You know we Knoxville people do not ‘ go 
in ’ much for that kind of thing. I believe in get- 
ting all there is in this life out of it and not both- 
ering about the next, don’t you ? ” 

“ That depends upon what you mean, Mrs. St. 
Clair,” said Miss Kaughman. “ Well, I won’t keep 
you standing any longer as Miss Nina is not in. 
Tell her I am sorry that I missed her, please. 
Good afternoon.” 


4 6 


The stage oe eiee: 


“ Well, I’m glad she has gone. Did you notice,. 
Mrs. Jones, how I whipped her over Nina’s shoul- 
ders ? ” said Mrs. St. Clair. “ I do not care much 
for those people who come here from Kentucky,, 
anyway. They are such cranks.” 

“You are just right; my husband is one of 
them. He does not care the least bit for any kind 
of gayety, but I am not going to stay at home 
because he does,” said Mrs. Jones. 

“Aunt Frances,” said Nina, coming into the 
room, “ Hannah said some one called to see me-;. 
I am so glad.” 

“ Called to see you ? The idea ! Who would 
call to see you ? What a little piece of conceit you 
are !” said her aunt. 

“ Well, Aunt Frances, Miss White said she 
would have a Kentucky friend of hers, who had 
come here to live, call on me, and I thought she 
might have come,” said Nina, with a disappointed 
look upon her sad little face. 

“ I will call you when any one comes to see 
you,” said her aunt, as Nina left the room. 

“ She is a piece of impertinence, sure ! ” ex- 
claimed Mrs. St. Clair. “ Nina,” she called in a 
few minutes, “come here a moment; Mrs. Jones, 
Netta and I are going out driving; not that it is 
necessary to tell you, but the stockings have to be 


A KENTUCKY STORY. 


47 


darned. They are all in your room, in the top 
drawer. So you put your time in mending them 
while we are gone.” 

“ 1 am glad to have something to do, Aunt 
Frances, and I like to darn,” said Nina. She was 
soon at her work. “ One pair, two pairs, eight 
pairs to darn ; I will get out my darning machine,” 
she thought; “ I can mend beautifully with that.” 
In an hour or so she had all eight pairs made as 
good as new. Then she went down on the balcony 
and found that her Uncle Thomas had come home. 

“Are you lonely, little girl ? ” said he, in a kinder 
tone than he had ever spoken to her. 

“ Yes, Uncle Thomas. Auntie, her friend, and 
Netta have gone driving,” said Nina; “ I have fin- 
ished my afternoon’s work,” she continued, “ and 
am wishing for something else to do.” 

“ How would you like to take a car ride? Get 
on the car here and go to the end of the route 
and back,” he said, handing her a dime. “ Don’t 
you think that would be pleasant?” 

“ Yes, that would be lovely! Thank you kindly. 
Uncle Thomas,” she said. 

Her uncle helped her on the car, and Nina was 
soon enjoying the cool breezes made by the motion 
of the car as it swiftly passed by trees and houses. 
After a while she came to a park. The conductor 


4 8 


THE STAGE OF LIFE: 


called its name. It looked so pretty and so dif- 
ferent from the parks she had seen, and was alto- 
gether so inviting, that she got off the car and 
walked in. She wandered around for a while and 
finally sat down beneath the branches of a spread- 
ing Southern oak. She began to think of the 
happy days she had spent in the parks at home 
with her dear mother. There was not a sound to 
be heard. All was sweet, peaceful, restful. She 
began to sing in a low voice one of her mother’s 
hymns. The large oak made her think of it. 

“ Crush not a wounded spirit, 

Nor trample in the dust 
The heart that would look up to thee 
With hopefulness and trust; 

But be thou like the noble oak, 

To which the ivy clings, 

And shelter the poor stricken soul 
Beneath love’s ample wings. 

“ This loity oak, beneath whose shade 
We’ve played upon the lawn, 

Though now the monarch of the woods, 

Was of an acorn born; 

And little seeds of kindness which 
May in the heart be sown, 

Shall raise up branches by which we 
May reach our Father’s throne. ” 

It happened that Miss Kaughman and her 
mother were strolling through the park and heard 
the sweet voice of the sad little singer. They 


A KENTUCKY STORY. 


49 


stood listening quietly a few moments and heard 
Nina sob. Then they stepped up to her, and Miss 
Kaughman said: “ What is the matter, my dear?” 

Her kind tone went straight to Nina’s heart 
and brought the tears again. She covered her face 
with her hands, but they were gently drawn away. 
Sitting down beside Nina and taking the slight 
form in her arms, Miss Kaughman said : “ My 
darling, do not cry; what troubles you so? and 
who are you?” 

Nina tried to smile through her tears. “ I am 
Nina Boise,” she said; “ I have come here to live 
with my aunt, Mrs. St. Clair. My poor, dear 
mother has gone so far away ” — again she sobbed 
bitterly — ‘‘to get well, and I think I shall die if 
I do not go to her. My mamma told me to be 
good and God would make her well, and send her 
back to me; but my aunt says she will die! Do 
you believe God would take her from me?” 

“ No, my dear; God, I hope, will send her back 
to you well ; and you will see many happy days yet 
— if you trust him,” said Miss Kaughman, trying 
to comfort her. 

“ Trust him ! I do trust him,” said Nina, wip- 
ing her eyes, and feeling better for the kind, 
encouraging words of her new friend. She was 
greatly pleased when she learned that this sweet 

( 4 ) 


50 


THE STAGE of life: 


lady was Miss Kaughmian, but her face fell as she 
said : “ If 1 could only see you sometimes, but my 
aunt doesn’t want me to have company at all.” 

“ Well, I am sorry, my dear, for I had hoped to 
see a great deal of you,” said Miss Kaughman; 
“ but, Nina, just keep trusting in God, and when 
you feel sad and lonely remember who said, ‘ Come 
unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, 
and I will give you rest ’ — and, dear, you have 
enough to do to keep you busy, enough to keep 
your heart and mind so occupied that you will 
not have time to get lonely.” 

“ Keep me busy?” .said Nina; “ I do all I have 
to do, and am not busy at all.” 

“ No ; you have a great mission in your uncle’s 
family. You might be the means of converting 
them all into earnest Christian people,” said Miss 
Kaughman. 

“ Oh, I could never do that,” said Nina ; “ my 
aunt would be furious if I ever tried.” 

Then Miss Kaughman talked to her about lov- 
ing one’s enemies, praying for them, and trying 
to make friends of them. She tried to show Nina 
how, with God’s help, she might reach the hearts 
and then the souls of the people with whom her 
lot was cast. 

Presently the child got up in alarm. “ Oh,” 


A KENTUCKY STORY. 


51 

she said, “ I have overstayed my time, — what will 
aunt say? I am afraid she will be put out with 
me. I hav.e been so happy listening to you that 
the time slipped by before I knew it. I hope to 
meet you again soon. Goodbye.” 

“ Poor child,” they both said, after Nina was 
gone. 

“ Yes, I am sorry for her,” said Miss Kaugh- 
man. “ I am afraid she will drink from sorrow’s 
side of life’s cup.” 

When Nina reached home her aunt was waiting 
for her in anything but a pleasant frame of mind. 

“Well!” she said, “you left when I told you 
that those stockings were to be mended. How 
dare you do so, Nina?” 

“Aunt Frances, I mended the stockings, and 
then uncle told me I could take a car ride,” Nina 
replied. 

“ It took you a long time to take a car ride,” 
said her aunt. 

“ Well, I met Miss Kaughman and her mother. 
I forgot myself and stayed longer than I meant 
to. If you will overlook it this time, I will try 
and not let it happen again,” said Nina. 

“ Very well, it’s all over now,” her aunt said ; 
“ I shall punish you in one way only : A letter 
from vour mother has come, but you will not get 


52 


THE STAGE OE LITE: 


it' until in the morning, and may be not then — just 
as I see proper. I shall teach you that hereafter 
when I tell you a thing, you shall heed it. Just 
stop that crying; you are wasting your tears for 
nothing.*’ 

Nina went slowly to her room, her head: bent 
in woe. She cried until tears would no longer 
come, then only moans could relieve her suffering. 

There was a low rap at the door. 

“ Come,” said Nina, in a soft voice. 

The door opened, and dear, old, black Aunt 
Jane stepped in. 

“ My chile, what troubl’ you so ?” she said. 

“ Oh, auntie, I was a naughty girl,” said Nina. 
“ I went out for a car ride and met some sweet 
people. I overstayed my time, and Aunt Frances 
is so mad at me that she will not let me have a 
letter that came for me from my poor, precious 
mother. Just think how long I have been here, 
and this is the first word from mamma. I would 
just give all I have on earth to see it. Oh, why 
is my lot so hard? Oh, I am so sorry I went; but 
it is too late now to think about it.” 

“ Well, Nina, I jist bin a-settin’ here a-sted- 
dyin’ ’bout it, an’, see here, I’ll tell you : You 
jis’ hush up your crvin’ an’ I’ll go down into the 


A KENTUCKY STORY. 53 

library an’ see if I can’t fin’ it, an’ I’lt bring it to 
you, honey,” said Aunt Jane. 

‘‘ Oh, no, Aunt Jane! You see that would be 
wrong,” said Nina. 

“Wrong! dog’s foot, I don’ see one thing 
wrong ’bout that!” exclaimed Aunt Jane. 

“ Yes, Aunt Jane, it would be stealing.” 

“Stealin’!” said Aunt Jane, in a very decided 
tone of voice ; “ who ever heard of stealin’ from 
yo’se’f. You’ll have to git over all them kin’ of 
fool notions, if you live here.” 

“ Yes, but, auntie,” said Nina, “ God will not 
love us if we do things that are not right. You 
know Aunt Frances hias forbid me to take it, and 
it would be stealing.” 

“ Yes, I knows all that,” said Aunt Jane, “ but 
that letter is yo’s, an’ it would not be stealin’. 
Anyhow, you know the Bible says plainly, ‘ Every 
tub stan’s on its own bottom,’ an’ if I gits that 
letter an’ brings it to you, you jis’ take it, an’ say 
nothin’, an’ I'll be the tub” 

“Aunt Jane, I didn’t know the Bible said that. 
Does it?” 

“ Law sakes me, chile, mine does,” and with- 
out another word Aunt Jane was gone. 

She soon returned with the letter. Nina’s eyes 
flashed with joy. She took it, saying: “I feel as 


54 


THE STAGE of I,IFE: 


if I am stealing, but. look here, it says ‘ Imme- 
diate ’ — Dear mamma !” she said, kissing it. 

Mrs. St. Clair opened the door and walked in. 

“ Oh, yes, little Miss, I have caught you in the 
act. You shall not put my negroes up to do what 
is not right. You are what I call an ‘ imp of 
Satan/ you headstrong thing ! I have a notion to 
send you right into the street and never let you 
enter my house again. Stop your bawling this 
moment; you hear! Aunt Jane, you go to your 
room, and never let me catch you here again.” 

“All right, Missus,” said Aunt Jane; “but I 
didn’t aim fer you to ketch me this time.” 

“ Now, you come here to me,” Mrs. St. Clair 
said, turning to Nina. She took Nina’s letter from 
her and tore it into small bits. 

“ Now, you see what you have gained by steal- 
ing,” she said ; “ you shall not write another word 
to your mother nor have a line from her!” 

Nina looked at her a moment, grew white, then 
red, and fell upon her face in a convulsion. The 
blood streamed from her eyes and nose. The old 
black auntie who had been watching through the 
key-hole rushed across the street and called a 
doctor, who came right over. 

Dr. Litten — for that was his name — was met 
by Nina’s uncle and aunt, who told him that Nina 


A KENTUCKY STORY. 


55 


had one of her bad spells. “ She is crazy at times/’ 
her aunt said, “ and thinks all kinds of things.” 

The doctor soon found that the child was in 
a convulsion. He worked with her nearly all night, 
but she got no better. Her only words were 
“ Mamma, or, mamma! come to me!” 

“ Mrs. St. Clair,” said the doctor, “ I am afraid 
this child will die; I can do nothing for her, it 
seems. What caused this spell?” 

“ I do not know,” she answered. “ Just as I 
heard the clock strike eleven, I thought I would 
slip on my dressing-gown and go up to see how 
she was resting. I had hardly got here when her 
screams awakened the household and I sent for 
you.” 

“ Well,” said the doctor, “ I am going home for 
a short time, but will be back presently.” 

“ Wife, there is a mystery in our neighbor’s 
house. That child is in a hard fit — seems as if 
it is from fright. I am almost afraid I can not 
restore her,” said the doctor, when he got home. 

“ Well, doctor, the negro woman that came 
for you told our girl shocking stories. I am hor- 
rified — yes, grief-stricken. I am too nervous to 
tell you now, but you must do all you can for her. 
I am going to send for Miss Kaughman, and she 
and I will go over and see if we can do anything.” 


THE STAGE OE life: 


5 6 

“ I do not believe they will let you,” said the 
doctor. “ I thought they were not going to allow 
me to see her last night. They all seemed much 
excited. She is a beautiful child, with large blue 
eyes and golden hair. Til go out to the kitchen 
and hear what Eliza has to say.” 

He soon returned, and his face was white with 
anger. He took his hat and went across the 
street to the St. Clairs again. 

At noon he came home, saying that Nina was 
not much better, and that he had summoned a 
nurse, to whom he had given full directions. The 
nurse knew a little herself, he said, about what 
had been going on, and Nina would be carefully 
watched. 

“I am going to call in two other physicians, and 
we shall leave nothing undone. The case interests 
me, and besides, I’ve taken a great liking to the 
child — Can’t imagine how any one could scare 
her so — ’twas a cruel, heartless performance,” he 
said, with a stern look on his face. 

In the course of a few days Nina got much 
better, but was left in a weak, nervous condition, 
and the doctor told Mrs. St. Clair that she had 
had a shock her nervous system would be long in 
getting over. He insisted that she needed pleasant 


A KENTUCKY STORY. 57 

company, and should be allowed to visit his wife 
and Miss Mary Kaughman. 

Nina had seen much of them both while she 
was ill, and her heart went out to them. 

They had grown very fond of Nina. 


CHAPTER VII. 


“ My dearest friend from earth has gone, 

Her cheerful voice I hear no more; 

Nor will she e'er again return 
To Time’s dark, wild, sea-beaten shore. ” 

“ I am sad to-day, Mrs. Litten, and I thought, 
as aunt and cousin were out, I would come over 
and stay with you a while,” said Nina, as she sat 
down in Mrs. Litten’ s cozy little sitting-room. 

“ You are always welcome, my dear. What 
makes you feel badly?” said Mrs. Litten, kindly. 

“ Oh, I am much better, but I feel as if life is 
not worth living!” Nina said, with a sigh. “ I was 
glad you and Miss Kaughman came to see me last 
night — Miss Kaughman has helped me so much. 
I am going to spend the day with her to-morrow. 
It will be my birthday, the first one I have ever 
spent away from my precious mother. I know 
she will think of me to-morrow — how I wish I 
could put her in my arms and never let her go! 
And to think I have never had a letter from her 
— it almost kills me ! Why, oh, why was I taken 
away from her? Oh, I can’t stand it,” sobbed 
Nina, bursting into a fit of hysterical weeping. 

“ My dear, my dear, do not go on so,” said 


A KENTUCKY STORY. 59 

Mrs. Litten, going over to her and trying to com- 
fort her. 

“ \'ou will never know how I feel; I can never 
tell you ; I am sick for mamma ! — Mamma, why 
don’t you come,” she moaned. 

Nina dear, of course no one can take your 
mother’s place,” said Mrs. Litten; “but you have 
become very dear to us, and for our sakes, as well 
as your own, you must try to ” — 

Just then Miss Kaughman came in. The sweet 
smile that usually brightened her face was all 
gone, and her eyes were red and swollen. 

“Oh, Mias Kaughman! what is the matter?” 
exclaimed Nina; “ I never saw you look so in all 
my life.” 

Miss Kaughman went close to Nina, and in her 
sweet, kind way, took Nina’s hand in hers. 

“ My own darling,” she said, “I am your friend, 
as you well know, and I am more pained than you 
can know to tell you what I must tell you now. 
The time has come when you must place yourself 
upon the altar. Ask God to be with you, my child. 
I can not comfort you ; I can only break the sad, 
sad news. God has taken away your mother, 
Nina.” 

“ Oh, Miss Kaughman, you do not mean to tell 
me mamma is dead ! Oh, no, no ! I can not — I 


6o 


the stage of eife: 


will not believe it, — taken from me and let to die ! 
die! I must die, too. What shall I do? What 
shall 1 do?” 

Miss Kaughman and Mrs. Kitten thought she 
had fainted. They laid her on the sofa and called 
the doctor. Nina’s sense soon came back, but she 
seemed like a person stunned by a heavy blow. 
A kind of stupor hung over her for days. She did 
not cry, but talked unceasingly about her mother, 
showing that her mind was constantly on her loss. 
She seemed oblivious to what went on around her, 
like one in a trance, and whenever she could, held 
tight to Miss Kaughman, seeming to w r ant to be 
always near her. 

“ Nina, you must ‘ look up,’ and remember your 
mother’s request,” said Miss Kaughman. “ You 
said she told you to always trust in God, and, if 
you do, dear, you will find that all will come out 
right in the end.” 

“ Miss Kaughman, you told me to trust God, 
and mamma told me to trust in him, and he would 
bring me out of all my trouble. I tried to trust 
him. How has he brought me out? Mamma, 
oh, mamma ! Am I without a mother ? Can it be ? 
And I never wrote but one letter to my poor, dear 
mother. God have mercy! What shall I do? My 
blessed Savior, help me!” 


A KENTUCKY STORY. 


6l 


“ Nina, he will help you,” said Miss Kaughman. 
“You have a refuge, even God. Let me talk to you, 
dear. We do not always foel the need of help 
beyond and above ourselves. Difficulties often 
arise which our own wisdom can solve ; fears some- 
times disturb us, which a cheerful voice can dis- 
sipate ; trials occur which human sympathy can 
lighten. But there are emergencies which drive us 
home to God. We need, then, to grasp an arm 
that is not made of flesh. We must open our 
minds to a mind that is not. human. We must 
ascend to a higher level than the plain of earth. 
We must find our way to Almighty God and hear 
from his lips the words, ‘ This is the way ; walk ye 
in it/ ‘ Whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth,’ and, 
dear heart, it is the lire that purifieth. You say 
you did trust God, and now this blow has come 
upon you. Perhaps all is confusion, and you can 
not understand it. What you should do, dear child, 
is to keep on trusting and pray for a faith that will 
light up the darkness of earth with the glory of 
heaven. God will hear your cry. He will come 
with his healing powers. He will lead you into the 
paths of peace and to a larger faith that will be 
sweet to your soul. Yes, in calamities like this that 
has come upon you, Nina, there is only one effec- 
tual refuge — God himself. 


62 


THE STAGE OF IJFE: 


“We meet with many disappointments and 
losses which our own energy can redress or repair ; 
often when we strike the earth, we rebound by our 
own elastic force, only to stand firmer than before. 
But there are trials in which our natural strength 
fails us. Time can never heal them and no human 
power can take them away. They make the world 
another place, different from what it was before. 
In our most cheerful hours, there is one chord in 
the secret heart that vibrates mournfully. When 
the landscape looks fairest and nature keeps her 
merriest holiday, there is one small, green mound 
more precious than all the world beside. It seems 
strange that earth should contrive to bring forth 
her flowers. The moaning winds of autumn suit 
us better than the lively carols of spring. There 
are memories of which we can not speak, because 
words can not utter them. There are precious 
tones, perhaps forgotten long ago by all the rest 
of the world, which some to us in the stillness of 
the night, and fill the air with mournful melody. 
Up to the hour when this dreadful sorrow fell upon 
us, the resources of earth and our own energy 
sufficed for every emergency. But under this blow 
the soul is broken. Nature gives way. There is 
no shelter on earth from the storm, and in our 


A KENTUCKY STORY. 


63 


desolation we look up to God and say : ‘ In the 
shadow of thy wing will I make my refuge until 
this calamity be overpast/ The calamity is not 
overpast, but we find strength to bear it. The 
fountain of sorrow is not dried, and we have no 
wish for it to be, for we receive blessings from its 
bitter waters. Our trial has bound us closer to 
God; we have him for our portion whatever else 
be wanting. The world hangs more loosely; it is 
bereft of many of its charms ; it has ceased to stir 
our ambitions, and its pleasures have lost their 
old attractiveness. But there are bonds of sym- 
pathy that connect us with other worlds which are 
more abiding. Truth has become real which had 
no such reality before. We have seen the face of 
Christ and have heard his gracious words. We 
now know the purpose of his mediation, for we 
have experienced its necessity. Our religion is 
now a life and not a dogma ; a substance and not 
a shadow; something we can stay ourselves by in 
any extremity. Death is disrobed of haif its ter- 
rors, for we have seen a loved one go across the 
‘dark valley/ 

“ Have faith in God, Nina dear; put your whole 
trust in him, and you will see through the dark- 
ness of your affliction — see the gleaming of a 


6 4 


THE STAGE OF life: 


bright star above. You will have a new * song in 
the night * that will fill your soul with happiness. 
The one deep sorrow that you have experienced 
will be lightened and relieved, and you will say 
from your heart, ‘ Thy will, not mine, be done.’ ” 


CHAPTER VIII. 


“A sad Christmas for me, — how strange it 
seems to be in a strange home without my mother 
— but how sweet it was of Miss Kaughman to 
ask me here for my holidays/’ thought Nina, on 
being awakened by the merry .Christmas bells 
pealing forth their joyous chimes. She wondered 
if it was time to get up, but saw that Miss Kaugh- 
man was still in bed beside her. Just then Mrs. 
Kaughman came into the room with a basket of 
gifts, exclaiming : “A merry Christmas to you both, 
my dears !” 

“ Merry Christmas/’ they replied merrily, but 
Nina suddenly thought that her own dear mother 
could never greet her with a happy smile and 
sweet gifts again on Christmas morning. She fell 
back very white, moaning : “ Oh, on last Christ- 
mas I was with mamma, and now I have no mother. 
I think every day makes it harder for me to stand 
my sorrow. Oh, I can not bear it ! What am I 
to do?” 

Miss Kaughman could only shed tears with her 
this time; she was too full to even reply. 

Soon breakfast was announced. They went 

( 5 ) 


66 


the stage oe uee: 


down, but Nina could eat very little, though she 
tried hard to be as cheerful as she could, for she 
saw how her sorrow caused her friends to grieve, 
and thought she ought not to make their Christ- 
mas unpleasant, when they had so kindly invited 
her to spend it with them and had given her so 
many nice tokens of their friendship. She went 
to her room after breakfast, and asked God to help 
her bear her trials herself, and not let her worry 
others with them. 

When she came down she looked more cheer- 
ful. Her eyes, that had always seemed so sad 
and full of tears, were bright. She was dressed 
in a pretty red gown that her mother had made for 
her, and her face was beautiful and fair; she looked 
as if the burdens of life had been removed. 

Mrs. Kaughman presented their friend, Mr. 
Everton, to her. He stepped forward, saying: 
“ Miss Boise, I have heard so much about you, 
that I feel as if I know you very well, and must 
shake hands with you.” 

Nina extended her hand and looked into his 
kind face with a sad little smile. She liked this 
young man’s looks at once. After exchanging the 
compliments of the day, the talk turned to what 
they had been doing on Christmas days of previous 
years, and Mrs. Kaughman said that Nina, being 


A KENTUCKY STORY. 67 

so young, could not remember as many as the rest 
of them. 

“ I am twelve years old, Mrs. Kaughman,” said 
Nina, “ and it has been two years to-day since I 
was baptized. I remember how beautiful my 
mother looked that day ; how pale she was, too. 
I did not think then that she would only be on 
earth with me one more Christmas.” 

A delicate flush like the pink of an apple blos- 
som overspread her cheeks, her eyes filled with 
burning tears. She bowed her head in her hands 
and groaned : “ I little thought — then — of this 
cruel blow that — that was to come upon me. I 
loved on, trusted on, hoped on ” — 

“ My dear Nina,” said Mrs. Kaughman, “ we 
do not understand why this trial was put upon 
you — you so young and tender. It’s one of God’s 
mysteries. But all things are done for a purpose. 
You may not see it now, but in after years you will. 
How many mysteries are ever around us ! The 
mysteries of life may be likened to a river, whose 
head, being far in the land, is, at first rising, little, 
easily viewed; as you go farther, it gapeth like a 
wider bank, not without pleasant and delightful 
windings, while both sides are set with trees and 
beautiful flowers still easily seen and appreciated. 
But the farther you go to follow it, the deeper 


68 


THE STAGE oe eiee: 


and broader is the river, and the farther away are 
its banks, till at last it inweaves itself with the 
unfathomed ocean ; there you can see more water, 
but no shore — no end to that liquid, fluid vast- 
ness. 

“ In many things we may sound nature, in the 
shallows of her revelations we may trace her to 
her second cause; but beyond that, we meet with 
nothing but the puzzle of the soul, the dazzle of 
the mind’s dim eye. When we come to unrevealed 
Divinity, we are in a sea. The only way to gain 
comfort that will last, is to trust Jesus.” As Mrs. 
Kaughman said this she wiped her eyes and held 
Nina close in her arms. 

“ I ought not to give way,” sobbed Nina, “ for 
I am grieving others who are so kind and good to 
me.” She looked up at Mrs. Kaughman and tried 
to smile, but the pathetic, little tear-stained face 
smote every heart. 

Mr. Everton proposed that she take a walk with 
him to the post-office. 

“ Yes, go. The fresh air will do you good, 
dear,” said Miss Kaughman, proceeding to get the 
child’s wraps and put them on her. Then Nina 
and her new friend were soon out in the crisp, fresh 
air and bright sunshine. 

Mr. Arthur Everton was a young man of sense 


A KENTUCKY STORY. 


69 

and ability. He had expressive gray eyes, a large, 
commanding figure and light hair. His ways were 
the ways of kindness, and he was a high-minded 
Christian gentleman — a man Kentucky was proud 
to own as her own. He had been born and bred 
in that State, although his home was now in Ohio. 

Besides being a distant relative, Arthur Ever- 
ton was an old and dear friend of the Kaughmans, 
and since their stay in Knoxville had always come 
to spend Christmas with them. 

He, too, had lost a mother whom he loved 
dearly, and well knew how to sympathize with Nina 
in her loss. He had never forgotten his mother, 
and took much comfort in doing things that Would 
have pleased her. He had kept her church sub- 
scription paid up, and continued to give liberally 
to every charity she had been interested in. His 
mother had been dead several years, but as Mr. 
Everton took Nina's hand in his l vividly he remem- 
bered his own terrible sorrow, and he felt in his 
heart for the poor stricken child more than his 
tongue could express. The two seemed to under- 
stand each other at once, and soon became fast 
friends. All through the holidays he tried to make 
sunshine for her, and seemed pleased indeed when 
he succeeded in bringing a smile to her sad little 
face. 


7 ° 


THE STAGE OE EIEE : 


The Kaughm'ans, too, grew more and more 
fond of Ivlina, and this sympathy and love was like 
balm to her wounded heart. The child dreaded 
going back to her aunt’s home, and the day before 
she left, told Mrs. Kaughman it was so hard to do 
right and to feel right toward her relatives — “ and 
I can not even think now,” she added, piteously, 
“ that some day mamma will come back to me !” 

“ Try to always think of your mother, Nina, 
as in a happy home, where' she has gone to await 
your coming — and it won’t be long. The longest 
life here, child, is very short when compared with 
the time we shall spend there ! Try to be cheerful 
and bright and take pleasure in all things around 
you. When we rebel, we hurt God our Father, 
who surely knows what is best for us,” Miss 
Kaughman said. 

“ Dear Miss Kaughman, you have all been so 
good to me, and I’ve been such a trouble to you,” 
said Nina. “ I want to hide my sorrow, but, oh, I 
can’t — it won’t stay hid.” 

“ Don’t try, dear,” said her friend ; “ it’s much 
better to share it with those who love and sympa- 
thize with you.” 

“Ah,” she continued, turning toward her 
mother, “ as the dove will clasp its wings to its 
side to conceal the arrow that is preying on its 


A KENTUCKY STORY. 7 I 

vitals, so it is the nature, not of child, but of 
woman, to hide her sorrows from the world. That 
is the way many bright eyes grow dim, many soft 
cheeks grow pale, many lovely forms fade away, 
and none can tell the cause that blighted their love- 
liness.” 

“ Coleridge says,” she went on, “ ‘A woman’s 
head is usually over ears in her heart. Man seems 
to have been designed for the superior being of 
the two ; but I think women are generally better 
creatures of the two. They have, taken univer- 
sally, weaker appetites and weaker intellects, but 
they have much stronger affections. A man with 
a strong heart has sometimes been saved by a 
strong head ; but a corrupt woman is lost forever.’ 
And again : ‘ The man’s courage is loved by the 
Woman, whose fortitude is coveted by the man.’ 

“ Perhaps man was ‘ designed for the superior 
being,’ but the time is coming when it will not be 
considered indelicate and unpardonable for woman 
to speak and write of ‘ herself and her inner life ’ 
— to let it be known ‘ that she has a soul and a 
heart wherein human joys and sorrows, in their 
height and depth, find a home.’ Let woman write 
freely and talk freely of her griefs, her joys, her 
sorrows and her loves; let her not be compelled to 
blush for the holiest part of her nature; let her 


72 


the: stage oe tiee: 


not decry the possession of the noblest gifts she 
has received from heaven, and she will be con- 
tented in the sphere for which she was created, 
willingly leaving man to reign supreme in his own. 

“ Woman is like some tender tree, the pride 
and beauty of the grove; graceful in its form, 
bright in its foliage, when oftentimes the worm is 
preying at its heart. We find it suddenly withering 
when it should be most fresh and luxuriant. We 
see it drooping its branches to earth and shedding 
leaf by leaf, until, wasted away and perishing, it 
falls in the stillness of the forest, and, as we muse 
over the beautiful ruin, we strive in vain to recol- 
lect the blast that could have smitten it. 

“ It is better, far better, for woman not to hide 
and nurse her grief, but to take comfort and gain 
strength of heart from those around. Trials should 
make her strong, not fell her to earth.” 

Nina did not wholly understand all Miss 
Kaughman had been saying, but she put her arms 
around her neck and said : “ Oh, if I could only be 
as good as you are, everything would look beauti- 
ful and I should be happy! I should like to lie 
down for a while; may I? I have a headache.” 

“ Yes, dear,” said Miss Kaughman, “ that is the 
best thing you can do. You will feel fresh and 


A KENTUCKY STORY. 73 

good then, and after tea, we will all take a long 
walk or a ride.” 

“ That will be delightful,” Nina said, as she 
stepped out of the room in a light, fairy-like way. 

“ Mary,” said Mrs. Kaughman, “ I feel very 
sorry for that poor child. She seems to dread 
returning to her aunt’s, and one can not blame 
her — they seem to have no affection or sympathy 
for her there. I am afraid, though, that you talk 
‘ too old ’ for her.” 

“ Well, mother, she is by no means an ordinary 
child, and it seems to me that as soon as our loved 
ones can understand we should talk with them as 
plainly as we can about the real and true things 
that will lead them to the full enjoyment of their 
best gifts and prepare them for useful, happy lives. 
And don’t you think it is better to gO' a little 
beyond a child’s understanding, giving her some- 
thing to ‘ think out,’ than to fall beneath it?” 

“ But Nina is young, and so innocent,” said 
Mrs. Kaughman. 

“Yes, mother, she is innocent and very child- 
like in some ways ; but she is so sensitive and has 
suffered so much that she has an insight and sym- 
pathy in matters of the heart beyond her years. 

“ There is no study, mother, half so delightful 
to me as that of young creatures, with hearts 


74 


THE STAGE oe UEE: 


fresh from the gardens of the skies. They are 
indeed a mystery — a fragrant, luminous, beautiful 
mystery. They are the ‘ cryptogamia ’ of another 
world, the ‘ infusoria ’ of the skies.” 

The next day, when the time of parting came, 
Miss Kaughman and Mr. Everton accompanied 
Nina to the carriage, and as the latter reached out 
his hand to bid her “ Good-bye,” a small box fell 
in her lap. On opening it, she found a beautiful 
little ring set with a diamond and a ruby. She 
was delighted with it. When she got! home, how- 
ever, her Aunt Frances sent it back to him, saying 
that Nina was a child. 

He understood, and after a short time sent her 
a little friendship ring enclosed in a letter to Miss 
Kaughman. Nina asked Miss Kaughman to keep 
the ring for her until she was “ a big lady.” 

The open-hearted, guileless child, capable of 
such lasting and devoted affections as Nina had for 
her mother, had impressed Mr. Everton deeply. 
A sweet little girl 

Held all his heart-strings in her hand; 

His hopes, and power, and majesty were hers, 
And not his own. ” 


CHAPTER IX. 


Nina’s stay at Bleakhouse, as her aunt’s home 
was called, had only been of a few months’ dura- 
tion, but the servants had all learned to love her 
dearly. She could not see why, when they loved 
her so, those that should did not. 

Not long after her return from the Kaugh- 
rnans there was a light knock at her door, and 
William, the furnace-man, a bright mulatto about 
eighteen, opened the door, saying: “Miss Nina, 
pa’don me, but I’m going aw'ay an’ wanted to say 
‘ good-bye.’ They say us negroes has got too 
’tached to you, an’ they’s goin’ to let us go, one by 
one. I’s the first they let go, ’cause they got a 
man in my place. Oh ! my poor little Missie, I’s 
so sorry for you, ’cause I know you ain’t happy. 
You is so pale. I wish I could do somethin’ for 
you, but this nigger can’t do nothin’, seems like. 
So good-bye, if we never meet again. I hope we 
will meet where there is no partin’' an’ all will be 
bright, an’ us niggers will all be white.” 

“ Well, William, you be a good boy, and always 
do right, then your soul will be white, I know.” 

“ Oh ! say ! say, Missie, don’t you think my face 
will, too?” 


76 


the stage oe eiee: 


“ I do not know, William, but you be good 
and all will be right. Good-bye,” Nina said. 

“ I’ll try, little Miss,” he said. “ Goodbye.” 

Just then Mrs. St. Clair appeared on the scene 
and said: “ You, Nina, are the cause of all the 
servants having to go. See what trouble you make 
me. 1 have just told your uncle that he had to 
put you in school somewhere. There is a school 
we have heard of, on the order of a reform school, 
for bad, disobedient people, and that is where you 
will land, I think. We got a letter from your 
father not long ago. He will not return for five 
years, and, may be, never.” 

“ Why didn’t he write to me, auntie?” 

“ Because I acquainted him with your disobe- 
dience, see !” 

“What have I done, Aunt Frances?” 

“ You know very well, and needn’t ask me.” 

“ I do not know of anything, except that I 
cried,” said Nina, “ and I hope your little girl will 
never have to part with you, and then fall in 
such” — 

“ What did you say?” exclaimed Mrs. St. Clair. 

“ Fall where she was not wanted,” said Nina. 

“ W ell, who could want such a thing as you, 
pray?” was her aunt’s ungracious reply. 


CHAPTER X. 


“ We walked along, while bright and red 
Uprose the morning sun; 

And Mathew stopped, — he looked and said, 

‘ The will of God be done.’ ” 

“ Tents, Aunt Jane,” said Nina, as they met 
near an open field not far from home. “ Whose 
are they ? do you know ?” 

“ Yes, chile, gypsies. They are fortune-tellers. 
I’s done been an’ had my fortune tole. They say 
I’s gwine to git money; but now, chile, I’s jist 
gwine to tell you. I’s a-gwine to git it when I 
work for it, an’ not till then.” 

“ I wish I could have my fortune told,” said 
Nina; “ but I’m going down to see poor little Cleo 
this afternoon. She is sick, and I’m going to take 
her something nice to eat.” 

“You is jis’ a little saint,” said Aunt Jane. 

“ No ! no, auntie, I think we are all here for 
something, and I want to find out what I am here 
for and then do it. Little Cleo is such a sweet 
child. We are in the same Sunday-school class, 
and she is a true little Christian. Miss Kaughman 
says she is going to die. Aunt Jane, I am going to 
tell you something — I am going to send some 


78 


THE STAGE OF LIFE: 


word to mamma by little Cleo. I will not tell 
her any of my trouble, for it would Worry her; 
but I’ll send her word I want to go to heaven, too, 
and never part from her.” 

Nina picked up her hat, which had fallen to the 
ground. Her mother had bought it for her to wear 
when the spring winds began to blow. As she put 
it on her pretty head, Aunt Jane thought she had 
never seen anything so beautiful as her “ dear 
little Missie.” With a shake of her face that 
threw her lovely curls from her face, Nina said : 
“ I am gone, Aunt Jane, but will be back by the 
time auntie and cousin return from Mrs. Cox’s. 
Good-bye, dear old auntie, until I return,” she 
added, as she saw how the dear old black face 
shone with love and admiration. 

Nina presently came in sight of Mrs. Graves’ 
cottage, and soon found herself swinging open the 
wicket gate. She entered a large, airy sitting- 
room, with a bright rag carpet on the floor. There 
were an old-fashioned piano and some hair-cloth 
furniture in the room,. All looked as if it had seen 
better days, but was neat as a pin. 

“ Good afternoon, Mrs. Graves,” said Nina; 
“ aren’t you little Cleo’s mother?” 

“Yes, little Miss,” she answered, pleasantly, 
“ but who are you?” 


A KENTUCKY STORY. 79 

“ I am Nina Boise. I live with my aunt, Mrs. 
St. Clair.” 

“Yes! yes! I have heard Cleo speak of you. 
You are the little girl that put the Bible on the 
Christmas tree for her. She has talked so much 
about you.” 

“ Didn’t she tell you I had no mother? God 
took my dear mother away from me. I suppose I 
am very selfish, for my poor mamma was sick 
when she was on earth, and now she is well and 
happy ; but I do want to see her, oh, so much !” 

“Just come in here,” said Mrs. Graves, as she 
led her into the next room. “ Cleo is in here. 
Cleo ! Cleo, dear, here is little Nina come to see 
you.” 

“ Oh, Nina ! I am so glad you have come,” 
said Cleo, in a weak voice, — “ I am going to 
heaven, Nina, where your mamma has gone.” 

The sick child raised herself on her elbow and 
pointed her little finger to the sky. The glow of 
evening, shining through a window, lit up her 
golden hair and flushed cheek with a kind of heav- 
enly light. Cleo’s little hands had grown very thin, 
and her skin was almost transparent. Her breath 
was quick and short. 

“ Nina,” she said, “ I saw heaven in my sleep, — 
and, oh ! how bright and beautiful it looked ! The 


8o 


THE STAGE OT LITE: 


streets were gold, — the gates were set with pearls 
— and diamonds — and precious stones. It was 
all so bright — it hurt my eyes when I looked. 
The angels, all in pure white, had harps in their 
hands making lovely music. And, Nina, — I want 
to meet you there. Shall I ?” 

“ You will meet me there some day,” said Nina. 
“And, Cleo, I want you to tell my mamma about 
me. Tell her I shall follow her to that beautiful 
land. But I am not as good as you are, Cleo. 
Please pray for me, dear Cleo. Now,” she said, 
going close to her, “ I must go. Then stooping 
down to the bed, Nina kissed her “ Good-bye,” 
and as she went away she thought : “ It may be 
the last 4 Good-bye ’ on earth, poor little Cleo ! — 
No, poor me!” 

“ Where have you been ?” said Mrs. St. Clair, 
on meeting Nina, as she returned to the house. 

“ Well, Aunt Frances, you said I could enter- 
tain myself in some way or go unentertained, so I 
went down to see little Cleo Graves. She is — 
dying.” 

“ Nonsense, don’t come at me with your ghost 
stories,” said her aunt ; “ I am tired of all such and 
wish you were in the land of witches. You would 
be satisfied then, I suppose. You were bad enough 
when you first came here, but since you have been 


A KENTUCKY STORY. 8 1 

running with that Miss Kaughman, another Ken- 
tucky crank, you’ve got worse and worse.” 

“Aunt Frances, Miss Kaughman has been my 
best friend. She was my all in all in my hour of 
trouble, and she is a sweet Christian lady. She 
goes to church to learn how to be good, and is 
good. You go, you say, on account of the 
preacher, and after he is gone, you say you won’t 
go any more. Do you think there is much Chris- 
tianity about that ?” 

“Ah, you are getting quite brave to criticise 
me ! Remember, I am not so far away from Ken- 
tucky that I do not know for what her people are 
noted. I have not heard of their religion — only of 
their fast horses and whisky!” 

“And, aunt, their hospitality — don’t forget 
that.” 

“ Well, you will not have much time tO' visit 
around, as we have found a place at last, and have 
decided to send you away,” said Mrs. St. Clair. 

“Away? Where to?” asked Nina. 

“What is it to you? You’ll know when you 
get there,” replied her aunt. 

“ Well, can I go down to-morrow to see little 
Cleo ? — she won’t live very long,” said Nina. 

“Yes, go if you want to. I don’t care,” said 
her aunt, turning crossly away, 

( 6 ) 


82 


THE STAGE OE UEE : 


Nina, glad to be left alone, thought to herself : 
“ She is a queer woman, and never has any trouble. 
Why is it? It seems as if those who try hardest 
to do right have the most!” 

As the next day’s sun was sinking, Nina fin- 
ished her work, and went again to see how Cleo 
was. On arriving, she saw a wreath of white 
Easter lilies hanging on the door. The pictures 
were turned to the wall. All was hushed and 
muffled inside ; and there upon her little cot lay the 
angel-like form of poor Cleo, sleeping never to 
wake. She was robed in a pretty white dress she 
had worn the summer before, and as Nina looked 
upon her face, so sweet and fair, she thought: 
“ She has gone from this world of trouble and care 
to take up her heavenly crown and play on a 
golden harp like those she saw in her dream. But 
she can not speak to me. Oh, I wish she could ! 
I will go and speak to her mother. Cleo was her 
all, they say. Her husband has been dead some 
time, and now her sweet child is taken. Why, I 
wonder, didn’t God take me instead of her!” 

When Nina got home, she found her aunt and 
cousin had not returned. So she thought she 
would have time to run down to the greenhouse 
and see about some flowers for Cleo, before tea. 

“Good afternoon, Mr. James; I want some 



On a Flower Mission 


































































































































A KENTUCKY STORY. 83 

flowers for little Cleo Graves’ funeral,” she said, 
on finding the proprietor of the greenhouse. 

“ Oh! is she dead?” he exclaimed. 

“ Yes, she is gone,” said Nina. 

“ Yes, 4 gone home,’ and not dead,” said Mr. 
James. “ It was she who brought me to the Cross 
— she told me of the blessed Savior. She was a 
good little girl, — and now she’s gone!” he added 
in a low, sad tone. 

“ I want cape-jessamines and white lilies, Mr. 
James,” said Nina. “ They are pure and beautiful, 
as she was.” 

“ Very well,” said Mr. James, “ and I shall send 
‘ The Gates Ajar ’ in white flowers. They will 
signify that she waits at heaven’s gates until those 
she led to Christ get home. I know of others she 
has pointed to the right, and for each there will be 
a brilliant star in her shining crown.” 

“ Will you send my flowers in the morning?” 
said Nina, as she turned to go. 

“ I will, with . pleasure,” he said. “ Good-bye.” 

“ There is another of God’s children,” thought 
Mr. James ; “ I wonder who she is. She seems to 
know me. Her face is not so happy as poor little 
Cleo’s was.” 

The next day Cleo’s body was laid to rest in the 
Rosehill burying-ground, beside her father’s. 


»4 


THE STAGE oe UEE: 


Nina Boise was not at the funeral. 

“A child stolen /” was the news that went out 
over all Knoxville the following morning. Every- 
where could be seen large posters, which read as 
follows : 

REWARD! REWARD! 

A Child Lost. — Nina Boise, 

The twelve-year-old daughter of Thomas St. 
Clair, has mysteriously disappeared. Any person 
who finds her, or gives information as to where 
she may be found, will be liberally rewarded. 

Excitement reigned. Detectives were sent out 
in all directions. 

The gypsies, who had been camping in the 
vicinity, were gone, — had left in the night. Detec- 
tives followed them, but could find no clue in re- 
gard to the disappearance of Nina Boise. It was a 
dark mystery. 

Sad and heavy grew the hearts of all Nina’s 
friends when, after days of search, no trace of her 
could be found. 

“ I seen Missus a-paekin’ up Miss Nina’s clo’s, 
yestidy,” Aunt Jane had said. But Mrs. St. Clair 
said Nina’s things were all there, and this seemed 
to be true. 


CHAPTER XI. 


The golden sun was dipping behind the West- 
ern hills, and amid purple, fleecy, feathery clouds, 
seemed sinking to repose, like some proud mon- 
arch gracefully reclining on his gorgeous couch to 
rest. His yellow beams still gilded the tree-tops 
and tinted with saffron hue the magnificent pros- 
pect and romantic region of M .. 

It was a mild evening in May. ’ The air was 
soft, balmy and refreshing, and all things seemed 
sweetly serene. 

From the open window of a magnificent old 
building, which, with its grounds, was inclosed 
within high stone walls, looked forth a lovely child 
attired in black, and having a white cap on her 
head. Wondering how she came to be in this 
strange place, with whom she was, and what the 
future had in store for her, Nina — for it was she 
— looked sadly at the beautiful view. She at first 
thought she was with the “ sisters,” but on reflect- 
ing a moment, remembered how hard her aunt was 
on them, and thought she could not have been put 
in their care. She knew she had been put where 
she was, and knew, too, that she had been given 


86 


THE STAGE OE UEE : 


something to make her unconscious for a time, 
so she would not know where she was being taken. 

Nina sat sad and silent there, under the influ- 
ence of her troubled thoughts and her mysterious 
surroundings. Feeling that she had “lived” a sad 
and tragic poem, she began thus to soliloquize: 
“ ‘The twilight deepens.’ Soon ‘ night will drop her 
dark mantle’ and ‘ shut out the light of day.’ So 
comes upon my poor heart a ‘ pall of darkness, 
quenching the last lingering sunbeam of hope.’ 
1 Dismal shadows seem to gather round my soul.’ 
Oh, I know how the poet felt who said ‘ The pur- 
ple sky of life’s smiling morn was soon o’ercast 
by leaden clouds, on which the rainbow’s glow is 
never seen.’ They say I must forget my home and 
my childhood. But I can not — no, never. The 
‘ enchanting scenes ’ as I knew them ‘ are still fresh 
in my memory ’ and tempt me sorely to fly from 
this cheerless abode. My inmost nature rebels 
against being confined in this place. Once I was 
so happy. ‘ Sweet contentment and joy and all 
delights were mine.’ How long ago it seems ! 
Loved and caressed by a precious, precious 
mother, ‘ gaily I glided forth on the primrose path 
of pleasure.’ But, ‘ why dwell I on the past or 
think of golden hours no more to return?’ I 
would place my all upon the altar — all I have I’d 


A KENTUCKY STORY. 


87 


freely give, even my life, if only I could gain heaven 
— and my mother !” Then, bowing her head, Nina 
clasped her feverish brow, as if to check the. burn- 
ing current of her thoughts, and her heart’s deep 
emotion found expression in flowing tears. 

Suddenly she was startled by a sharp, stern 
voice saying: “ Ninaetta ! Ninaetta! Has Satan 
put it in your heart to rebel against God?” 

“Alas! I know not,” replied the sobbing Nina. 

“ Undutiful, undutiful child ! Banished from' 
your home for disobedience, through kindness, we 
have given you an abiding place for life. You can 
never leave these walls until dead ; but you will 
have all your heart’s desires gratified here, and 
now have you no gratitude ? I am King Thumii, 
ruler of all in this great building.” 

“ Heaven forbid that I should be ungrateful,” 
replied Nina. 

“ You will have to worship those in this en-‘ 
closure who are over you, and all the inmates that 
are your superiors, before you can gain heaven,” 
said this strange man. 

“I worship men or women? No, no! I only 
worship God, — and he is not here!” said Nina. 

“You are rebellious. We have had others like 
you. We do not want to deal more severely with 
you than we ever have with any one else. But sub- 


88 


Th£ stags oT utS: 


mit to our will you must, and believe in me you 
must,” said “ King Thumii.” 

“ Well,” said Nina, “ if doubting you is sinful, 
then I am a sinner, nor will a lifetime in this place 
ever make me a saint. I want to know where I am 
and who put me here. You are not Catholics, are 
you? What are you?” 

“ Talk not of what you understand not. 
Wouldst thou fathom the profound mysteries of 
religion? ’Tis presumption! Little canst thou 
comprehend of things spiritual, nor need thy weak 
brain be troubled, for thy path of duty lies plainly 
open before thine eyes. ’Tis to believe in ‘ King 
Thumii,’ and obey, absolutely, his wife, who is 
‘ Lady Superior ’ here, and him.” As he said this 
he pointed to himself. He then left the room. 

In the morning, Nina arose at early dawn, re- 
solving to devote the day to solid devotion, in so 
far as she could. “ It will do me good and give 
me strength,” she thought. Having determined 
this within herself, she sat down by the window, 
there to devote a holy hour to religious meditation. 
Unawares, her attention was attracted by the 
merry little birds, gaily fluttering and sweetly 
singing among the green branches of the locust 
trees, that shaded the grounds in the rear of the 
building. Involuntarily she exclaimed : “ Happy 


A KENTUCKY STORY. 


89 

creatures ! free to fly at will, and on your downy 
wings to sail in the sweet, fresh air, wheresoe’er 
fancy leads. What delights, what transports are 
yours ! While here is wretched Nina, sad-hearted, 
motherless, imprisoned, and even cut off from her 
church, her friends, and all that’s delightful on the 
face of the earth ! Suggestions of the devil,” she 
thought, “ who is always seeking tu allure whom 
he would destroy” — and she put her mind again on 
holy things. But presently, in the midst of her 
reflections, a bevy of girls passing by on the street, 
not far distant, caught her eye. They seemed so 
free, so happy, and when their ringing laughter 
and tones of gladness came floating on the air, a 
longing thrill ran through her heart. Then the 
thought came to her mind : “ I will run away and 
go to Miss Kaughman !” But something seemed 
to say : “ Nay nay, thy wings are clipped ; how 
canst thou?” 

“ Strange conceit, Ninaetta ! Strange conceit,” 
remarked King Thumii, appearing suddenly and 
advancing toward the door of the apartment. 
Pausing a moment on the threshold, he added: 
‘‘And wicked as strange ! Come, go you to con- 
fession,” and he left abruptly. 

Nina arose to her feet and took a few reluctant 
steps as if to obey his “ kingly ” command ; but she 


9 ° 


THE STAGE OE eiEE: 


suddenly stopped, and after bending her eyes 
thoughtfully upon the floor a moment, said to her- 
self in a suppressed voice : “ Much shall I profit, 
making confessions of my sins to a rogue, a hard- 
ened, heartless sinner, as I am almost persuaded 
he is.” She took her seat again, and was soon 
‘ lost in a sea of gloomy thoughts/ 

Days rolled by, and months, and now two years 
had passed since Nina awoke in the mysterious 
building, situated she knew not where. And 
although grown somewhat accustomed to the 
monotony and daily routine of a cloistered life, she 
was no more satisfied with her lot than she had 
been at first. 

Being much alone, she had ample time to medi- 
tate on the truths of religion that had been taught 
her in her childhood. Naturally impulsive, and at 
first rebellious against what she thought must be 
some great wrong done her, she finally concluded 
that the great, good God could take care of her 
there as well as anywhere, and that as long as it 
was his will for her to remain where she was, she 
would try to live even that restricted life in a 
manner that would please him, thinking that in 
his own good time and in his own way, she would 
be released. So, after a time, the first dreadful 
despondency at finding herself shut up in this 


A KENTUCKY STORY. 


9 1 


strange place wore away, and hope came to her 
that she would one day be released, though she 
knew not when or how. 

“ King Thumii’s palace,” as he called the im- 
mense building over which he held such absolute 
authority, was conducted in some ways as a con- 
vent would be. The younger girls were taught a 
few things, particularly sewing, by women or girls 
older than themselves, though little intercourse 
was permitted between them. Their only recrea- 
tion was an occasional walk in the grounds, either 
alone or accompanied by one of the older “ sis- 
ters,” as those women having most authority were 
called. 

After being there two years, Nina knew not 
much more about the place than she did at first. 
She still clung to her past and the memory of 
her mother with the same old devotion; but she 
had not one token from her mother left, not even 
her Bible. The only thing she possessed, which 
had any connection with the past, was the “ luck 
charm ” which old Aunt Jane in Kentucky had 
given her. It had always been around her neck, 
and no one knew of it. 

She had found one girl friend in this mysterious 
building, who had been sent there when a little 
girl, and was now almost grown. For a long time 


9 2 


the stage oe ijee: 


Nina had been trying to persuade this girl to tell 
her where they were. At last, one day, Brunetta 
— for that was her name — told Nina they were 
in Mexico, and in a place where girls were sent 
and kept hid all their lives by persons who wanted 
to be rid of them. “ Some are sent for one thing, 
some another,” she said. “ I was told why I was 
sent by an old lady, who was here for years, and 
had some way of finding out about people. Peace 
be to her spirit; she has gone.” 

“ Tell me why you were sent here, please,” said 
Nina. 

“ Well,” said Brunetta, “ my father was a rich 
man, but all his money came by my mother, who 
died when I was a baby. Father married again 
and had two more children; then he died, leaving 
half of his wealth to me and half to my step- 
mother and her children. If I died, all was to go 
to her and her children. I suppose she did not 
want to kill me — perhaps she did not dare — so 
she had me stolen by gypsies, and for thirteen 
years I have been here. Once here, it is like the 
spider and the fly — you are in a web from which 
it is impossible to get out — but you are safe from 
the world.” 

“And are you satisfied to always stay here, 
Brunetta?” said Nina. 


A KENTUCKY STORY. 


93 


“ Well, I have never known anything else, and 
may just as well live here as anywhere, I suppose. 
I enjoy the grounds — there are over seventy-five 
acres in the inclosure. The palms, the roses, the 
strawberries and all such things please me. My 
religion consists in doing right as far as I know, 
for, of course, I can't believe all the stuff they 
would have you believe here. If I could get 
away, I shouldn’t know where to go. Some of the 
sisters seem to like me, and I am not treated 
unkindly. They have killed one woman, though, 
since I have been here.” 

“ Oh, tell me about it !” exclaimed Nina. 

“No! No! not now. I see we are being 
watched. Perhaps I’ll tell you next week; I’ll have 
you under my care then, and for a month will 
spend most of my time with you. — Have you any 
work for to-day?” Brunetta asked in a louder tone. 

“ No.” 

“ Well, they will probably send you some soon.” 

They did all kinds of “ drawn work,” made 
point lace and embroidery, and it was sent to “ the 
States.” They were all allowed one hour in the 
afternoon to walk in the grounds. That day, when 
Nina had finished the work that had been laid off 
for her, she thought, as she smoothed back her 
hair, soft, glossy and beautiful as ever : “ I will 


94 


THE stage oe eiee: 


dress my hair and take a stroll down to that large 
palm-tree. It has grown to be a friend, or, rather, 
it almost seems like my ‘ church/ for there God 
often sends sweet thoughts to me, and nowhere 
else do I so love to be when I pray to him on 
high/’ 

Just then “ King Thumii ” walked into the 
room and said : “ Ninaetta, prepare yourself imme- 
diately. Your hair is to be cut and you are to 
take the veil. Then comes the ‘ pall of death.’ ” 

“ What do you mean, ‘ King’?” asked Nina. 

“ I mean that when the veil falls over your 
face, it shuts you from the world, forever.” 

It was a scene never to be forgotten, and one 
calculated not only to awaken the tenderest 
sympathies of the heart, but to arouse the burning 
indignation of the soul, when Nina, meekly kneel- 
ing at the feet of the pretended priest, was com- 
pelled to “ take the veil.” She never looked more 
beautiful than at that hour. There was a sweet 
pensiveness in her expression, yet a death-like 
paleness overspread her delicate features during 
the whole procedure. Her beautiful hair,, which 
fell so gracefully upon her shoulders and hung in 
ringlets about her temples, was cut first. (They 
told her long hair was a vain ornament.) A black 
cap was then placed upon her head, as directed by 


A KENTUCKY STORY. 


95 


‘ King Thumii.” After this, she was lifted from her 
knees and placed in a coffin, which was closed for 
a few minutes, then opened, and she was resur- 
rected. Then she was put in a small room, seem- 
ingly underground — for the light was very dim 
— ‘to do penance/ She had not been there long 
when a thin, spirit-like form in black crept up to 
her, and taking her by the hand, said, in a low, 
intense voice : “ Poor child, you are deluded, you 
are deceived. These are not priests and sisters, 
neither are they gypsies. They are devils. They 
are our own American people who pretended to 
start this institution for a school, calling it a Cath- 
olic convent; but they run it as a home for people 
banished from the world. Some one has paid them 
well to have you put here, as some one did years 
ago to have me put here. Little by little they will 
take away more and more of your liberty — bury 
you deeper and deeper. Soon you will not be 
allowed to go out in the grounds. I am shut off 
from all, even the light, and in this dark, damp 
cellar, I spin the number thousand thread that is 
worked by our lace-makers.” 

Nina’s heart sank within her as she looked at 
this woman, for, as she grew accustomed to the 
dim light, she could see how emaciated and hollow- 
eyed she was. 


9 6 


the; stage oe eiee: 


“ What a fate may be in store for me !” said 
Nina to herself, in a sad, despondent tone, as the 
woman left her. 

The “ Lady Superior ” now approached the 
threshold and said: “ Ninaetta, come, you can go 
for a stroll in the garden now.” 

With joy, Nina followed her, and soon went 
out into the open air once more. The trees and 
flowers and blue sky never seemed more beautiful. 
She hastened to her favorite spot beneath the tall 
palm-tree, where she threw herself on her knees 
and wept bitterly, but made no sound. 

It happened that some excursionists, as they 
roamed around the beautiful city of Mexico and its 
vicinity, were passing by in the street, and one lady 
— a Mrs. Roth — said to the guide: “Oh, what 
is this magnificent building, with its beautiful gar- 
den ?” 

“ Well, madam,” said the guide, “ this is 4 King 
Thumb’s ’ ‘ palace,’ as he calls it ; but ’tis under- 
stood that it’s a kind of convent owned by him. 
He is very rich.” 

“ I wonder if they would allow us to go in,” 
said Mrs. Roth. 

“ I will see,” said the guide. 

Just then “ King Thumii ” walked out of the 
gate, and Mrs. Roth, turning to the others, said ; 
“ I will ask him.” 


A KENTUCKY STORY. 


97 


Then stepping forward, she said: “This is 
‘ King -Thumb ’ if I mistake not. I am Mrs. Roth, 
from Ohio. Pardon me, but would you grant us 
the privilege of going through your grounds?” 
Mrs. Roth was attractive and pleasant — one of 
the kind who are rarely denied any request. 

“ With pleasure, madam, with pleasure,” said 
“ King Thumii,” and held the gate open for them 
to pass in. He did not invite them to go through 
the building, however, and left before they could 
ask that privilege of him. As they went quietly 
through the beautiful grounds, their e attention was 
attracted by a lovely little creature beneath a large 
palm on her knees, seemingly in sorrow. They 
approached without her knowledge, and heard her 
say softly : “ Oh, mamma ! if you could only speak 
to me through the clouds and tell me what is to be- 
come of me !” 

just then “ Sister Isadore,” as she was called, 
came quickly up and spoke harshly to her. The 
child jumped, and as she hurriedly arose, dropped 
something on the ground near the tree. Without 
turning, she walked rapidly toward the house, 


( 7 ) 


CHAPTER XII. 


“ Mr. Everton, what is the matter? You seem 
so excited. What is it? Do tell us,” said Mrs. 
Roth to Mr. Everton, who was one of the party 
going through “ King Thumb’s ” grounds. 

“ Do not ask me,” he said, “ I can not tell any 
one now; but I wish you would all go on to the 
hotel and leave me here. I can not go until later. 
I am compelled to stay here until after dark.” 

“ You seem to have lost your senses, and I am 
afraid you will lose your way, too,” said Miss 
Samei, another of the party, laughingly. “ Well, 
let’s go and leave him, and some of these Mex- 
icaniennes will get him,” she added. 

But there was no laugh in him. He had, at 
last, found the lost jewel, the precious child, he 
and Miss Kaughman had searched for in vain, and 
given up as gone forever. 

After all the rest had left the grounds he con- 
cealed himself in a bed of tall rose bushes, think- 
ing he would stay there until night came on and 
the darkness thickened sufficiently to shield him 
from observation. While there he might form 
some plan as to what he would do. 

When he saw Nina that afternoon under the 


A KENTUCKY STORY. 


99 


palm-tree he could hardly believe his eyes; but 
when a few moments later he picked up the 
“ charm ” there was no question of her identity, 
for she had shown him the trinket that Christmas 
he and she became so well acquainted at the 
Kaughmans, and he had carved her name on it. 

He determined to let her know immediately 
that she had a friend who had found her and would 
help her. How he would accomplish this he soon 
decided. 

A stately locust-tree stood almost opposite 
Nina’s window, extending one of its branches in 
the direction thereof until it almost touched the 
sill. Mr. Everton thought this must be the window 
of her room, for from his hiding-place he saw Nina 
near it with her work, bending far out to get the 
light. 

After the daylight had all gone, and night came 
on, he made his way cautiously to the locust-tree 
and then quickly began to climb. Euckily enough, 
when he reached the limb nearest the window, he 
found the window open, and Nina, poor, dear, 
little thing, down on her knees saying her evening 
prayer. Taking advantage of his position, he flung 
a note in, which fell at her knees, after which he 
rapidly got down from the tree and left the grounds 
without being discovered. 


IOO 


THE stage oe eiee: 


Filled with wonder and surprise, Nina cut short 
her prayer and quickly picked up the note. She 
looked at it with amazement, and was afraid to 
open it. So many strange and trying things had 
happened to her that day that she scarcely knew 
what to expect. She slipped quietly across to her 
friend Brunetta’s room, and said hurriedly : “ Come 
in my room quick, Brunetta.” 

“Oh! what is it, Nina?” said Brunetta. ‘You 
look so pale.” 

“ This letter,” whispered Nina ; “ it came so 
strangely, as if tossed by a spirit hand. I saw no 
one, heard no one — it is so strange. Am I dream- 
ing? What does it mean? Oh, it is Mr. Arthur 
Everton’s writing,” she said, nervously, beginning 
to weep. 

“ My child, read it !” said Brunetta ; “ then you 
will see.” 

“I can not; you must,” said Nina, in a trem- 
bling voice. 

“Very well; hand it to me,” said Brunetta. She 
opened it and began to read in a subdued tone : 

My Dearest Little Friend: 

We searched the world over for you, and at last con- 
cluded you were gone from us forever. A body was 
found in the river at the foot of Gay Street, which it was 
thought had your clothes on. Neither Miss Kaughman 
nor I believed, however, that it was you, dear child, and 


A KENTUCKY STORY. IOI 

we did not give up hope of finding you for a long time. 

I do not know whether your dear little eyes will 
read the words now being traced by my trembling hand 
or not, but heaven may favor my wishes, and they may 
reach you in safety. 

I saw you in the garden this afternoon, and realized 
immediately what had become of you. 1 am now in the 
garden, not far from you, and shall, some way, somehow, 
get you away from this place before many days go hy. 

Ah, my dear little one, I esteemed thee a rare flower, 
blooming, perhaps, to bless my existence, and be cherished 
by my own hand, but ere I was aware a rogue had plucked 
the opening blossom. 

’Tis passing strange that one so pure, so guileless, 
so sweet, so true-hearted, should be made, by the black 
and false-hearted, to sup from sorrow’s side of life’s cup. 

Sweet child, I will surely find a way to make you 
free and happy. Trust me. 

Arthur Everton. 

“ Yes, it’s from him,” said Nina excitedly, when 
Brunetta had finished ; “ but the mysterious man- 
ner of its coming is marvelous as a dream. It is 
like a miracle! To think that Mr. Everton was in 
the garden! Give me the letter, Brunetta. No 
one must know of it. Oh, where shall I hide it?” 

“Better destroy it,” said Brunetta ; “ that would 
be safest.” ' 

“ Well, I must read it again, first,” said Nina. 
“ Do you know, Brunetta, I always thought I’d 
get away from here some day.” 

“ You are not away yet, Nina, and if they have 
the least inkling of a letter having reached you, 


102 


THE STAGE OE UEE: 


you will have no end of trouble, — and, my little 
friend, I want to tell you while I have the chance : 
An important discussion took place about you to- 
day. ‘ King Thumii ’ and ‘ Lady Superior ’ were 
walking in the garden during my ‘ recreation hour.’ 
I heard them mention your name, and so when 
they sat down and began to talk, I hid near them 
and listened. Their tones were low, and I did not 
hear all they said ; but their talk had something to 
do with some property which, it seems, is by right 
yours. They were determining on a plan to make 
you sign some papers. She said you were such 
a mild, unsuspicious girl, she thought there would 
be no difficulty; but King Thumii said that, not- 
withstanding your mildness and unsuspicion, you 
had a mind of your own and might take a notion 
about signing the papers as you did about going 
to confession and bowing in worship to him and 
your ‘ other superiors.’ They then decided to 
have you ‘ take the veil ’ before broaching the 
subject.” 

By this time Nina’s eyes were wide with won- 
der and alarm ; but she exclaimed in a low voice : 
“ I am glad you’ve warned me. I’ll never sign 
their papers if I die for it !” 

“ Well, I am sorry for you, Nina, and I don’t 
know how to advise you ; but I’ve stayed here now 


A KENTUCKY STORY. IO3 

longer than is safe. Good-night,” said Brunetta, 
and was soon in her own small room across the 
corridor. 

Nina read her letter again, had just burnt it, 
and was blowing out the light when she heard 
some one at the door. 

“ Is that you, Brunetta?” she said. 

“ No,” said Sister Isadore, “ it is I. Your lamp 
has burned nearly half an hour longer than it 
should. Are you ill? Is anything the matter?” 

“ No, I am not ill,” answered Nina. “ I did not 
know it was so late.” 

“Didn’t you hear the bell? You lose your 
recreation hour to-morrow for not heeding it,” 
Sister Isadore said in a cross, sleepy tone, and left 
her. 

The next morning Mr. Everton went again to 
visit “ King Thumb’s ” grounds, but was not ad- 
mitted. He then decided to see the city author- 
ities, thinking they might assist him in having Nina 
released ; but he remembered that he had no right, 
which they were bound to recognize, to take Nina 
away, and soon found they felt quite friendly 
toward “ King Thumii ” and his institution ; so he 
had to give up all idea of getting help from them. 
In the afternoon, he tried to visit the grounds 
again, about the same time he had seen Nina 


THE STAGE OE IvlEE : 


104 

under the palm on the previous day, but was again 
denied admittance. 

He then determined to go at once to Knoxville 
and consult the Kaughmans about what was best 
to be done. Together they might arrange some 
plan to effect Nina’s escape. On the journey he 
had ample time to try to form some plan of pro- 
cedure, but had thought of none that was satis- 
factory when he arrived. He lost no time telling 
them whom he had seen, how he had found the luck 
charm, and thus beyond a doubt established Nina’s 
identity ; how he had tried again, but in vain, to see 
her. 

“ Why didn’t you see the authorities ?” asked 
Mrs. Kaughman. 

“ The authorities there not only tolerate, but 
even protect them, regarding their place as a re- 
ligious institution. They would not listen to us, 
would say we had no right to interfere,” Arthur 
Everton replied. 

“ Well, if that is so, it will be a case of ‘ Greek 
meet Greek,’ ” said Miss Kaughman, “ and we shall 
have to exercise our own ingenuity. Let me think 
a minute.” 

After a few moments she said : “ I will get her 
out, but you will have to go to Mexico with me 
and help me.” 


A KENTUCKY STORY. IO5 

How will yoil do it?” asked Mrs. Kaughman 
and Mr. Everton at once. 

“ Well, I’ll tell you how. I’ll dress myself in 
black, put on a face like a tombstone, and go to 
that old ‘ King Thumii ’ with a doleful story ; tell 
him my friends are all dead; that I was in love 
with a man and he has died, and that I am thinking 
of becoming a recluse in some religious institution 
for the rest of my days ; that I have some money 
— $20,000 or more — which, if I enter his ‘ con- 
vent,'* I’ll give him to do good with. Then, after 
he agrees to let me come, I’ll tell him I want to 
spend a few days there as a visitor before I go to 
stay, to see if the life there is quiet enough for 
me. Thinking I am a discouraged, but harmless 
woman, tired of life, he will do as I ask, especially 
when he thinks of the money, and if Nina is there, 
I shall surely find her.” 

Yes, and you may get in there and not get 
out, and then we’ll all be ‘ at our ropes’ end ’ on 
your account,” said her mother. 

However, they talked it over, arranged details, 
and decided they would go to Mexico at once. 
In eight days they were there, and Miss Kaugh- 
man, in her black attire, soon went to “ King 
Thumii’s palace.” She played her part perfectly. 
The slightest suspicion did not enter “ King 


io 6 th£ stage; oE 1 life;: 

Thumii’s ” mind as to her real reason for visiting 
him. Hypocrite that he was, he was himself gulled. 
At first he made some objection to the liberties 
she asked, during her preliminary visit, but finally 
agreed to allow her the privileges she insisted on 
having. He instructed the “ Lady Superior ” to 
allow her to visit ail the inmates except Nina, who, 
he had determined, should see no one until she 
had signed certain papers for him. 

Miss Kaughman made haste to visit all parts 
of the building to which she had access. She saw 
a hundred or more women, but not Nina. Going 
to Brunetta, whom she singled out as being ap- 
proachable and unsuspicious, she said to her : 

“Are you the youngest inmate of the institu- 
tion?” 

“ Why, no,” said Brunetta ; “ there is one 
younger — Ninaetta. She is about fourteen, I 
think, though looks older.” 

“ Have I met her?” asked Miss Kaughman. 

“ No, no ; she is in the dungeon cell for not 
doing something ‘ King Thumii ’ wished her to.” 

Just then “Sister Isadore” came up with a smile 
that scarcely hid the expression of curiosity on her 
face. She had been told to allow the lady to talk 
to any one she wished, but to always hear what 
was said. 


A KENTUCKY STORY. 


107 

“ Brunetta has been here since she was a little 
child,” she said. “ Brunetta, I suppose you have 
been telling, the lady how fond you are of our 
lovely garden.” 

“ Let us walk in it now,” said Miss Kaughman, 
before Brunetta had time to reply. 

It seemed to Miss Kaughman as if the remain- 
der of that day would never come to an end. Now 
that she knew where Nina was, she could hardly 
keep from hunting her up immediately. However, 
she knew it was best to wait, so contented herself 
with noticing halls, stairways and “ out-of-the- 
way ” doors, especially those which seemed to lead 
below and to parts of the building she had not vis- 
ited. She made up her mind how she thought she 
must proceed to get to the dungeon. 

At last night came on, and soon all retired. 
The building was in darkness, except for dim lights 
in a few of the corridors. 

“ Now is my time to find Nina,” thought Miss 
Kaughman, and the brave girl ventured forth in 
the darkness, determined to find her little friend or 
spend the night looking for her. On she went 
quickly, but quietly, and soon found herself in a 
little back hallway on the first floor she had no- 
ticed in the afternoon as being a kind of “ out-of- 
the way ” place. After groping around — it seemed 


108 the stage of life: 

to her a very long time — she found in its far end, 
and around the corner of a small ell, a low door, 
which was locked. She was prepared for this, and 
was soon trying some skeleton keys she had 
brought with her. The third she tried unlocked 
the door. As she pushed it cautiously open, a 
damp, moldy odor greeted her nostrils. She soon 
discovered some narrow stone steps going down. 
Ah, this must lead to the place she was trying to 
find. How dark it was ! and how damp ! She be- 
gan to descend, leaving the door open, but taking 
the keys. Soon she was at the bottom of the 
steps. She put out her hands and touched walls 
on both sides. She groped her way along. 
Finally she came to a door either locked or bolted. 
She rapped softly. A feeble voice within said : 
“ Who is it, please ?” 

She well knew that sweet, faint voice, and an- 
swered : “ Nina ! ’Tis I, Miss Kaughman.” 

As Miss Kaughman said this she stubbed her 
toe against something at the bottom of the door. 
She found it was a bolt fastened on the outside. 
She quickly drew it, and in a moment the two were 
crying in each other's arms. 

“ Oh, Miss Kaughman, is it possible ? is it true ? 
or am I dreaming? Can it really be you! Oh! 
oh ! oh !” Nina exclaimed. She cried and laughed 


A KENTUCKY STORY. 


IO9 

and kissed and hugged Miss Kaughman, giving 
vent to all the pent-up feeling of two years past. 

“ But what have you done, precious child, that 
you should be kept in this dreadful place ?” 

“ Oh, Miss Kaughman, they tried to make me 
sign a paper and I refused, because it took away 
my right to an estate that is lawfully mine. I don’t 
know much about it, but I know they had no right 
to make me sign it. “ King Thumii had me put in 
here because I refused. Oh, he is dreadful ! I 
almost believe he will kill me if I don’t sign it ! 
He said, when I was put here, he would give me 
a few days to think it over where I wouldn’t be 
disturbed ! I was afraid, when I heard you, that 
he was coming — but, oh, joy, I was mistaken,” 
and Nina again threw her arms around Miss 
Kaughman. 

“ Don’t you want to go away from here, Nina? 
We are going to take you away. How did you 
ever get here?” 

“ Do I want to go away? I would fly from this 
place as from perdition ! How I ever got here I 
can not tell, for I don’t know,” said Nina. 

Miss Kaughman spent most of the night in 
conversation with the abused and suffering child, 
and then returned to her room before any one 


no 


THE STAGE OE LITE: 


began to stir, leaving no trace of her visit behind, 
except in Nina’s heart. 

The next morning, going to the “ Lady Supe- 
rior,” she said in a composed manner : “ I am going 
into the city this morning to see about some of my 
things. I’ll be back this afternoon or evening.” 

She went straight to Mr. Everton and informed 
him of her success in finding Nina, and of the 
shameful way Nina was being treated. 

He was enraged, and said he would go and 
take her away by force, if he had to kill that “ King 
Thumii ” and half his household. 

“ No, no !” said Miss Kaughman, “ that would 
never do. Listen to me. I will go back this 
evening as I promised, for they will expect me; 
and you wait until midnight. Then you approach 
the outer door of the big. wall and rap lightly 
twice. I being within, will unlock the door and 
let you in. Then we’ll proceed softly to the 
house, which I’ll also manage to have unlocked, 
and I’ll conduct you to Nina’s prison. Have a 
weapon with you, so if we have any trouble, we 
can force our way out. A carriage must be waiting 
at the corner for us, and mother must be at the 
depot with our baggage. A train leaves at two in 
the morning, which, if all goes well, can carry us 
North.” 


A KENTUCKY STORY. 


Ill 


“ Miss Mary, you’re a General. Your plan is 
excellent. I will carry out my end of it, and will 
not fail to be on hand at the appointed time,” said 
Mr. Everton, and he forthwith began to arrange 
for their speedy departure that night, or, rather, 
next morning. 

Miss Kaughman returned to “ King Thumii’s ” 
“ palace ” and planned how she would have the 
right door unlocked without any one’s knowledge. 

Midnight came, and found Miss Kaughman 
standing like a sentinel near the outer door await- 
ing in suspense the signal. It came. She drew the 
bolt and Mr. Everton entered. They neither of 
them spoke a word, but made their way to the 
building, through the halls, to the little back pas- 
sage way, down the stone steps, and arrived at the 
cell door. They paused a moment, and were 
astonished to hear Nina’s pitiful voice within 
pleading with some one to spare her life ! Mr. 
Everton at a stroke, made mighty by wrath, burst 
the door asunder, and in a moment confronted 
“ King Thumii,” who stood speechless with aston- 
ishment and terror. Nina’s face was as a sheet of 
glass with tears. She gazed a moment at Arthur 
Everton, then threw her arms wildly around his 
neck, sobbing as if her heart would break. King 
Thumii, ” not knowing how many might be with 


1 12 THE stage of life: 

Mr. Everton, blew out the candle he had brought 
to the cell, snatched up the papers, which had fallen 
from his hands, and escaped. 

Miss Kaughman took Nina, and they hastened 
down the passage and up the steps, Mr. Everton 
leading the way. When they reached the outer 
door they were met by “ King Thumii ” and a low- 
bred, black Mexican. Both were flourishing heavy 
clubs, ready to strike them down. 

Arthur Everton quickly fired, wounding “ King 
Thumii ” in the leg, and while the “ King ” was 
yelling “ Murder !” the Mexican was “ giving foot- 
bail.” 

Mr. Everton at once took Miss Kaughman and 
Nina to the carriage. They got in and were soon 
being driven rapidly to the station. They feared 
they might be followed, but their hearts were filled 
with joy that their hazardous undertaking had met 
with success, 


CHAPTER XIII. 


Lift thyself up! oh, thou of saddened face! 

Cease from thy sighing, draw from out thy heart 
The joyiul light of faith. ” 

Mrs. Kaughman was at the station walking up 
and down, for she could not sit still. People won- 
dered who the handsome, middle-aged lady, there 
alone at that time of the night, could be, and why 
she seemed so uneasy. 

She looked at her watch. “ Oh, dear,” she 
thought, “ the train leaves in ten minutes.” 

Presently a young man, a young lady and a 
half-grown girl, who seemed to be ill, got out of 
a carriage, came into the depot, and joined Mrs. 
Kaughman. She took the girl into her arms and 
kissed her fondly. Then they all went immediately 
to the train. 

“ What nice-looking people,” said a woman, as 
they passed. 

“ Yes, and they seem to be in trouble,” her hus- 
band replied, as he noticed the black dresses worn 
by Miss Kaughman and Nina. 

They were soon on the train flying toward “ the 
States ” as fast as steam could carry them ; but 
Nina was prostrate. Her close confinement for 
( 8 ) 


THE STAGE OF FIFE: 


II 4 

days, and all the excitement she had passed 
through since, had been too much for her. She 
was weak and ill, and could hardly speak. They 
watched her tenderly through the journey, but the 
long trip was hard on her. 

They decided to go straight to Cincinnati, 
which was Arthur Everton’s home. He had in- 
sisted that that was the only thing to do, and the 
Kaughmans had agreed, glad to be guided by one 
so strong and energetic. They appreciated his kind 
thoughtfulness on the journey, and Nina, even 
while weak and ill, felt in a vague sort of way that 
Mr. Everton was the best and noblest man she had 
ever known. She thanked God for such a wise, 
strong friend. “ Had he not found her way off 
there in Mexico,” she thought, “ and then gone 
straight after Miss Kaughman, dear, sweet friend 
that she was, to help him get her away?” 

Arthur Everton’s “Aunt Maranda,” as he called 
her, who kept house for him, was expecting them, 
and had everything in readiness when they arrived. 
Nina was at once taken to the large, airy room 
prepared for her, and the tired, sick child gave a 
long sigh of contentment when she could at last 
lie down in a fresh, comfortable bed. 

The Kaughmans were to stay some days at 
Arthur Everton’s, and while there all could plan 


A KENTUCKY STORY. 


“5 

what was best to be done with Nina. They could 
never take her back to Tennessee, where she had 
been so mistreated by her relations. 

“ Relations indeed !” said Miss Kaughman. 
They don’t know the meaning of the word. Blood 
to them is no thicker than water !” 

After a few days’ rest and quiet, Nina began to 
feel better. She looked almost herself again one 
beautiful afternoon, when she came downstairs into 
the library, leaning on Miss Kaughman’s arm. 

“ Well, this is fine!” said Arthur Everton, with 
a pleased look on his kind face as he came toward 

them. “But our little girl is too pale; we must 
put some color in her cheeks,” and he took her 
slim, cold hand in his large, warm one. 

“ Miss Mary, what do you think of a drive this 
afternoon? I believe it would do you all good. 
Suppose you get your hats on while I order the 
carriage.” 

“ It will be just the thing for Nina,” said Miss 
Kaughman ; “ but I must write some letters before 
this evening’s mail goes out, and mother is taking 
a nap. So you take Nina this afternoon and we 
will all go next time.” 

“ All right,” he said ; “ we’ll go in the phaeton 

then. — Wouldn’t you like to go, little girl?” he 
added. 


ii 6 the stage of eife: 

“Yes, indeed,” said Nina; “how lovely it will 
be to get out again.” 

Mr. Everton was soon at the porch-steps with 
the horse and phaeton. 

“ Don’t keep the- little invalid out too long, 
Arthur,” said Miss' Kaughman, as he helped 
Nina in. 

“ I won’t,” he said, then got in himself. Nina 
threw a kiss to Miss Kaughman, and off they 
went. 

Mr. Everton’s bright and interesting talk soon 
brought smiles to Nina’s sad face, and the fresh 
breeze gave a faint color to her pale cheeks. She 
enjoyed every minute of the ride, and it did his 
heart good to see how much better she looked. 

As they were going home, she looked at him 
earnestly and said : “ Mr. Everton, I’ve been want- 
ing to tell you how grateful I am to you for all 
you have done for me. God, who sees my heart, 
knows no child was ever more grateful for any- 
thing! I can never pay you in any way, or Miss 
Mary, either; but I shall always love you both 
dearer than life. I have no mother, and I suppose 
I have no father. Just you and Miss Mary are all 
I have in this world to love, and I am thankful to 
God for such dear, good friends as you two have 
been. All that time I was at ‘ King Thumb’s ’ now 


A KENTUCKY STORY. 


117 


seems like a long, bad dream. Ugh ! it makes me 
shiver to think of it. It’s just as if a dark cloud 
had hung over me for nearly three years, but now 
has gone, or is passing, and I feel as if brightness, 
is just ahead of me. Last night, as I lay upon my 
bed, I thought of the change in my life and my 
feelings. I believe I am going to be happy, and I 
thought I ought to be a better girl than I’ve ever 
been, and determined I would be just as good as I 
possibly could. Then my dear mother’s face came 
before me, and I seemed to see her sweet smile 
and feel her love for me, and I thought may be I 
would be with her in heaven before long.” 

Mr. Everton listened reverently as Nina told 
him all that was in her heart. There was some- 
thing about this little girl, with her trustful eyes 
and pure heart, that appealed to him as no one else 
had ever done. 

“ Well, here we are home again. I hope we did 
not stay too long. Come, my child, into the 
library,” said Mr. Everton, taking Nina by the 
hand. “ I am going to read something light and 
pleasant to you while you lie on the sofa and rest.” 

“ I thought may be you were going to tell me 
what you were going to do with me — you and 
Miss Kaughman,” said Nina. 

“ We’ll tell you about that to-morrow. You 


Il8 THE STAGE OE UEE : 

must rest now. You ought to be sleepy after being 
out in the air so long. You will just have time to 
get a little nap before tea/’ said Mr. Everton. 

, “ Well, just tell me one thing, please,” said 

Nina. “ I am not going back to Knoxville, am I ?” 

“You can rest easy about that, my little 
friend,” he replied. “ You will never go back 
there.” 

Nina settled herself comfortably on the sofa, 
and he had not read five minutes before her deep 
breathing told him she was asleep. 

He looked at her tenderly a moment. Her face 
was so soft and pure in outline, so sweet and re- 
fined in expression. “ What a fair flower she is,” 
he thought. If she had been his own sweet little 
sister, he could not have loved her more. As he 
pulled down the window shades and went softly 
from the room, he determined to do for her all 
an older brother would do for a dear, young sister. 

The next morning, after breakfast, Mr. Ever- 
ton said to Nina : “ Come to the library pretty 
soon, little girl. We want to tell you what we’ve 
decided to do with you and see if it meets with 
your approval. I am going out to post some let- 
ters, but will be back in a few minutes.” 

“ Very well,” said Nina, “ I shall approve of 
what you and Miss Kaughman think best, I know.” 


A KENTUCKY STORY. 


1 19 

Going into the library, she seated herself on 
the sofa, and taking up a book she had begun to 
read the evening before, was soon lost in it. Pres- 
ently she heard footsteps, and looling up, saw 
Mr. Everton coming in. 

“ Here I am, waiting for you,” she said, as she 
laid down the book. 

u Yes, so I see. — Well, Nina,” he said, sitting 
down beside her, “ you don’t know how nice it 
seems to a lonesome fellow like me to have a 
sweet, little girl around the house. My home has 
been a different place since I’ve had a ‘ little sister.’ 
I should just like to keep you here all the time, 
but, of course, you must go to school.” 

“ Where are you going to send me to school?” 
Nina asked, looking at him in her earnest, trustful 
way. 

“ We have decided on Hamilton College, in 
Lexington, Kentucky. It’s a grand old school, and 
I don’t know of a better place for you. Many 
noble men and women have come out from it, and 
to-day stand as ‘ stars ’ in our land. 

“ You must write to me often, and look to me 
for help at any time as you would to an older 
brother. I shall count it a privilege, little girl, to 
do for you as a brother would. You will be 
through school in a few years, and can then come 


120 


This stage: ot 


home to stay. In the meantime, vacations will 
come, and we can all spend them together some- 
where. 

“ Miss Kaughman has seen to your outfit, and 
day after to-morrow she and her mother will go 
with you to Lexington. They will take you to the 
college, and visit there a few hours before they 
go on to their home in Knoxville.” 

Nina’s eyes fdled and her lips quivered, to think 
she would again be separated from all she had on 
earth to love ; but she was a sensible girl, and rea- 
lized she must go to school. She felt, too, that Mr. 
Everton would, as he said, rather have her at 
home, and that both he and Miss Kaughman were 
thinking of her best good in sending her to Ham- 
ilton College. So after a moment the tears disap- 
peared, and she looked up with a smile as she 
said : “ I want to do what is right, and what you 
and Miss Mary think best.” 

“You are just a darling, and I knew you 
would,” said Miss Kaughman, coming in as Nina 
spake the last sentence. She kissed Nina on the 
forehead and sat down near her. They talked a 
few minutes about Hamilton College, both Mr. 
Everton and Miss Kaughman speaking enthusias- 
tically of its president and professors. 

Then Miss Kaughman took Nina’s hand and 


A KENTUCKY STORY. 


1 2 I 


said: “ Come, dear, I want you to see your pretty 
clothes before I pack them in your trunk ; and you 
shall put a new dress on before dinner. I am 
tired of seeing you in that doleful black gown. 
It’s a constant reminder of that wretch in Mexico 
and his sad-faced ‘ recluses/ ” 

“ That’s so,” said Arthur, laughing. “ Well, 
get through viewing the frocks as soon as possible. 
We have but two days left to be together, and we 
must make the most of them.” 

At dinner all remarked on how well Nina 
looked in her tasteful new gown. It was a pretty, 
soft shade of blue, which intensified the depth and 
luster of her sweet blue eyes, and set off the del- 
icate fairness of her skin as not other color could. 
Arthur Everton smiled approvingly. “ ’Tis sym- 
bolic,” he said : “ the pure azure of a clear sky after 
the black storm-clouds have rolled away.” 

“ Arthur, I didn’t know you were so poetical,” 
said Miss Kaughman. 

“ Any one can be poetical when inspired by the 
kind of beauty that touches him most,” he an- 
swered, smiling at Nina, who glanced at him with 
the frank, pleased look of an innocent child. 

“ There, Nina,” said Miss Kaughman, “ that is 
the sweetest compliment I ever heard paid to per- 


122 


THE STAGE OE UEE: 


sonal beauty. Make your knight a bow and give 
him a flower.” 

Nina leaned over and took a white lily from a 
vase in the center of the table, which she handed 
him with a smile so sweet and unconscious, it was 
almost holy. 

“ Now,” said he gaily, as he stuck it in his 
button-hole, “ I am proud and happy, for I’ve won 
my lady's ‘ favor ’ !” 

All laughed merrily, and this bright chatter 
went on. It was in scenes like this that these 
people, whose hearts were full of good-will toward 
all men, bubbled over with love for each other. 

Arthur Everton had that large hospitality of 
heart, as well as manners, which took his friends 
in, and made them feel, literally, as free and “at 
home ” in his home as they did in their own. It 
was no wonder that all felt sad when the day came 
on which Nina and the Kaughmans were to leave. 
They were going on the morning train, and were 
obliged to make rather an early start; for, as 
Arthur Everton’s home was at Walnut Hills, they 
were quite a distance from the station. They said 
“ Goodbye ” to the servants and to “ Aunt Mar- 
anda,” who said she hoped they would all come 
again soon. She said that she “ loved to have 
folks around, because then ’twasn't so lonesome,” 


A KENTUCKY STORY. 1 23 

Mr. Everton went with them to the train, and 
after he had told the others “ Goodbye,” bent down 
to kiss Nina. She put both arms around his neck 
and clung to him, as if she couldn’t let him go. 
In a moment, he gently removed her arms, and 
neither said a word. She, like himself, was too 
full to speak. He laid something in her lap, and 
got off the. train just as it started. 

They saw him from the car-window as the 
train moved out of the station, and waved their 
hands to him. He lifted his hat, and smilingly 
waved his hand, but could say nothing, for there 
was a lump in his throat. 

Then away they went. 

“ Arthur Everton is a man in a thousand,” said 
Miss Kaughman. “ Open your parcel, Nina dear ; 
I have an idea there is some candy in it.” 

Her keen perception told her that Nina was 
struggling to control her feelings, and she thought 
she would help her by giving her something to do. 
Nina untied the parcel. It contained two pretty 
books and a box of candied fruits. Mr. Everton’s 
card, on which he had written, “Au revoir, but not 
goodbye ,” fell from the parcel as Nina opened it. 

“ What a nice fellow Arthur is !” said Mrs. 
Kaughman, picking up the card and handing it to 
Nina. 


124 


THE STAGE OE I,IEE: 


“ Yes, I told you he was one in a thousand. 
Don’t you think so, Nina?” said Miss Mary. 

“ I think he is the loveliest man in the world !” 
said Nina. 

“ Well, I make but one exception,” said Miss 
Kaughman, looking out of the window wistfully 
a moment, as she wiped a tear away. She was 
thinking of one a thousand miles away,— one who, 
though some fifteen years older than Arthur, and 
not nearly so handsome, or so rich in this world’s 
goods as he, had such a spirit, such a mind, such 
a heart, as her woman’s soul bowed in reverence 
before — a man who had achieved great things be- 
cause his soul was great and he couldn’t help it. 
Her heart went out to him, then to God in prayer 
for his safe keeping. 

She turned toward them in a moment with a 
sweet but far-away look in her bright, dark eyes, 
and took some of Nina’s candy as it was handed to 
her. Directly, she was with them again, and began 
to give Nina some last words of counsel and 
advice, telling her it would be best not to talk of 
her past life to the girls at college and the new 
friends she would make in Lexington. “ Live in 
the present, get interested in all around you, Nina, 
and like every one you can like; but you will 
understand for yourself, dear, why ’tis best you 


A KENTUCKY STORY. 


125 


should be discreet about your past. People go to 
Hamilton College from all over the South. Mrs. 
St. Clair might make trouble if she heard you were 
there, and there is no telling what inconvenience 
that Thumii or his agents might still put us to. I 
know the president very well, and shall tell him a 
little of your history. It is not necessary for others 
to know it.” 

Nina listened, and determined to follow Miss 
Kaughman’s advice. 

After less than three hours’ ride they were in 
Lexington, and soon arrived at Hamilton College. 
The president received them cordially, and intro- 
duced his sweet young wife, who was as good as 
she was pretty. 

Nina’s room was assigned to her and her bag- 
gage attended to. Miss Kaughman saw her com- 
fortably settled, and had a talk with the president 
before she and Mrs. Kaughman left her. The time 
of parting came, but Nina was learning self-control 
as she grew older, and save for the tight embrace 
and tears that would come to her eyes, she was 
calm. Mary Kaughman’s own eyes filled as she 
wiped away Nina’s tears and kissed for the third 
time her dear little friend. “ I’ll be up here to see 
you, dear, in a few weeks,” she said brightly as she 


126 


THE STAGE of life : 


left Nina, “ and you know we can write to each 
other as often as we wish.” 

Nina soon made the acquaintance of her room- 
mate, Miss Tucker, a Southern belle, whose uncle 
was a wealthy planter. She was a handsome girl, 
with large, dark eyes and black hair, and had quite 
winning ways. She soon told Nina she was an 
orphan, but lived with her aunt and uncle, who 
worshiped her. She seeemd to have everything she 
wanted, and confided to Nina that her uncle and 
aunt were “ awful good ” to her, gave her “ sev- 
enty-five dollars a month for pin money ” ; also 
said she u hated the old college and professors and 
books, and all that kind of thing,” but supposed 
she. “ had to be educated.” In fact, she did not 
like anything connected with books or study — 
just regarded the whole thing as a trying ordeal 
that had to be got through, somehow. 

“Miss Boise, what is your first name?” she 
said, when she had finished talking about herself. 

“ ‘ Nina ’ is my first name,” said the latter, 
quietly. 

“ Well, my name is * Emma Lee/ ” 

“ Why,” said Nina, “ I thought your name was 
‘ Tucker/ ” 

“ Well, it is — ‘ Emma Lee Tucker/ ” 

“ Oh, yes,” said Nina, “ I might have known.” 


A KENTUCKY STORY. 


127 


“ Why do you wear your hair cut so short? 
You know it is not stylish to have short hair,” said 
Emma Eee. 

Nina hesitated — she remembered what Miss 
Kaughman had advised her about keeping her past 
to herself — then said : “ I am sorry now that it 
is short, though I did not care much when it was 
cut.” 

They had a beautiful room, and the two girls 
sat in it talking until the supper bell rang. 

Emma Lee went down without waiting for 
Nina, who stopped a moment to smooth her hair. 

“ I’ll wait for you at the dining-room door and 
take you in to supper,” said Emma Lee, as she 
went down the hall. “ I want to speak to one of 
the girls before supper.” 

“ All right. Thank you,” said Nina. 

Emma Lee was besieged before she hardly got 
down-stairs. 

“ Oh, Emma Lee, how do you like your room- 
mate ? I think she is beautiful ! What is her 
name ? Is she nice ?” said several girls, talking at 
once. 

“ Her name is Nina Boise,” Emma Lee an- 
swered. 

“ How do you like her?” repeated Mabel Cox. 

“ I don’t know,” said Emma Lee. “ She seems 


128 THE STAGE OE UEE: 

to have perfectly grand things, all new. I don’t 
believe she has an old dud, not one. One of the 
first things she got out was her Bible — but, oh, 
girls, it was a grand Bible — white kid, with gold 
clasps. She said it was a present.” 

“Where does she live?” asked Mary Tillman. 

“ Giminy Christmas, if I know ! All she will 
tell you is her name. She is funny ” — 

“Well, Emma Lee, doesn’t she talk at all?” 
said Jennie Black. 

“ Oh, yes, she talks, but not one word about 
herself. She looks sad to me.” 

“ Well, let’s all ‘ pump,’ ” said Jennie Black. 

‘ We’ll call to-night, and what we don’t get out of 
her won’t be worth getting.” 

Then all went into the dining-room except 
Emma Lee. She waited a moment for Nina, whom 
she heard coming down the stairs. 

As they went and took their places at the table, 
friendly and admiring glances, as well as curious 
ones, were cast at Nina. If she noticed the in- 
terest she excited, she realized it was because she 
was a “ new girl,” and thought they would soon 
get used to her. She was soon enjoying her sup- 
per and listening to Emma Lee and the girl next 
to her talk about the next day’s lessons. They 
seemed glad to include her in the conversation, 
and the supper hour passed pleasantly. 


A KENTUCKY STORY. 


I29 


That evening, when Nina was hanging up some 
of her things, Emma Lee asked : “ Haven’t you 
been through a long spell of illness, Miss Boise? 
— typhoid fever or something?” 

“ No,” said Nina. “Why?” 

“ You are so white and thin,” said Emma Lee, 
“ I thought perhaps you had.” 

“ Well, you know some people are white and 
thin just because it’s natural for them to be that 
way,” said Nina. 

“ Come in, girls,” said Emma Lee, in answer to 
a rap at the door, which was party open. 

“ Oh, Jennie and Mabel. Girls, this is Miss 
Boise — Miss Cox and Miss Black, Miss Boise,” 
said Emma Lee, introducing them. 

They bowed politely, and had hardly got seated 
when there was another knock. This time it was 
Miss Jones and Miss Tillman. They were intro- 
duced, and soon all were seated and ready for the 
“ inquiry.” 

“Where are you from, Miss Boise?” asked 
Miss Tillman, sweetly. 

“Where am I from?” said Nina, wondering 
what to say. 

“ Yes, where is your home? I mean.” 

“ Oh ! yes ; well, it is here for the present,” Nina 
said. 


( 9 ) 


130 


the: stage: of fife:: 


They glanced at each other and were silent a 
moment; then Miss Jones asked : How far have 
you traveled to-day, Miss Boise?” 

“ I really don’t know,” said Nina; “ I did not 
ask the distance.” 

There was another pause; then Miss Black 
said : “ Miss Boise, have you any brothers or sis- 
ters ?” 

“ Not here,” said Nina, who now began to 
think they had asked her questions enough. Ris- 
ing from her chair, she said : “ Girls, I have a new 
book; wouldn’t one of you like to read aloud to 
the rest of us?” 

“ Oh, no, thank you, not to-night,” said Mary 
Tillman. “ I reckon you’re tired and would like 
to go to bed. I must go myself very soon.” She 
presently said “ Good night ” and went. In a short 
time the rest left the room one by one, filled with 
wonder, and, strange to say, with admiration, at a 
girl who would not talk about herself! 

Emma Lee then thought she would “ try her 
hand once more” at questioning Nina; but she 
had hardly begun when Nina said : “You will par- 
don me, please, but I wish to read and meditate 
for a while before bed-time.” 

Then she went across the room, took her Bible, 
and opened it. When she had finished reading, 


A KENTUCKY STORY. 


131 

she leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes. 
She prayed earnestly that God would help her do 
what was right and keep her dear friends from 
harm. 

Emma Lee looked at her wonderingly a few 
moments, then went to bed. 

As days came and went, the girls learned to 
love Nina, but found that they could not learn 
anything about her which she did not want them to , 
know. 

Her thoughts were often of Arthur Everton, 
and his thoughts were often of her. They felt very 
near each other in spirit. 


CHAPTER XIV. 


Nina Boise stood, one evening, on the marble 
steps of Mr. Everton’s beautiful residence at Wal- 
nut Hills, with a letter in her hand, which she was 
reading. 

It was vacation-time, and some days had 
passed since she had returned from school. Aunt 
Maranda and she, except for the servants, were 
alone in the house, for Mr. Everton had gone 
away on a business trip shortly after her arrival, 
and had not yet returned. 

Aunt Maranda came out and sat on the front 
porch with her fancy work.; but Nina went on read- 
ing until she had finished her letter. 

Nina was now fifteen, tall for her age, but 
straight and finely formed. Her broad straw hat 
shaded, but did not conceal her features, and when 
she looked up at Aunt Maranda, the sunlight fell 
upon a face of such exquisite beauty as is rarely 
seen. Her face was oval, and so perfect in contour 
. that, if measured, it would have conformed ex- 
actly to the “ rule of art ” ; the hose was as del- 
icate and clearly cut as that of a Greek goddess ; 
the sensitive mouth a veritable Cupid’s bow, with 


A KENTUCKY STORY. 


133 


a little downward droop that gave a serious cast 
to the countenance; the deep, purplish blue eyes 
were full of expression and marvelously beautiful. 
Her hair, which had grown so that it just reached 
her shoulders, was of that uncommon shade be- 
tween gold and bronze, and as the sun shone on it, 
its rippling ringlets, of burnished glory seemed a 
very aureola. She was very fair, and usually had 
no color; but her skin was so thin and delicate 
that the least exercise of excitement brought a 
faint soft pink to her face and throat. Nina’s seem- 
ing utter unconsciousness of her beauty added 
much to its charm, and she still had the frank, 
sweet manner of an unspoiled child. 

Aunt Maranda looked at her intently as the 
girl read her letter, and came to the conclusion 
that Nina was, without doubt, the loveliest creature 
she had ever seen. Aunt Maranda was a plain, 
almost homely woman herself, past middle age, 
sensible and practical in most things, but like many 
plain women, in her secret heart, she set a very 
high value on personal beauty, having a reverence 
for it far beyond the ordinary. She regarded Nina 
with' a kind of worship, which, however, did not 
interfere with her blunt manner and a habit she 
had of speaking her mind freely when she hap- 
pened to feel like it. 


134 


THE STAGE OE UEE : 


Notwithstanding their great dissimilarity and 
the fact that Nina was still a child, Aunt Maranda 
had found her very companionable. They had one 
topic of conversation upon which they always 
agreed — admiration for Arthur Everton. 

Aunt Maranda was a distant relative, who, hav- 
ing been left destitute shortly after the death of 
Arthur Everton’s father, had been given a home 
in his mother’s house when Arthur was still a child. 
She had become invaluable to Mrs. Everton, who 
was something of an invalid, and after her death, 
had naturally taken charge of Arthur’s house. 

“ Aunt Maranda !” said Nina, sitting down on 
the top step, and looking at her with a bright smile, 
“ what do you think — I have a letter from Mr. 
Arthur. He says he will be home soon and will 
bring some one with him that I shall be charmed 
to see. Who do you suppose it can be?” 

“ The Kaughmans, of course,” said Aunt Mar- 
anda. 

“ Oh, yes ! I would like to see them,” said 
Nina ; “ but somehow I don’t believe he meant the 
Kaughmans. My heart went pitapat as I read 
the letter. It said, 4 Some one that our little girl 
will be overjoyed to see.’ You know the Kaugh- 
mans are not with him, so how can he bring them ? 
He is so good and sweet, I just love that man 


A KENTUCKY STORY. 1 35 

“ Yes, I believe you do, Nina, and no doubt you 
will marry him some day.” 

“ Aunt Maranda ! He is my dearest friend and 
is like a big brother to me.” 

“ Yes, 1 know how these ‘ dearest friends ’ who 
are ‘ like brothers ’ usually turn out.” 

“ But, Aunt Maranda, I am just a little girl 
yet !’.’ 

“ You will not always be a little girl, and some 
day it may be just the thing,” said Aunt Maranda. 
“ He is a true, good man, and worthy of any one.” 

“ Why, Aunt Maranda, ‘ you have bees in your 
bonnet,’ as my school friends say. Mr. Arthur and 
my dear Miss Mary will marry, I think.” 

“ Who do you call your dear Miss Mary ?” 
asked Aunt Maranda. 

“ Why, Miss Kaughman,” replied Nina. 

“ Oh, pshaw! judging from the letters she got 
when she was here, some other man has her heart, 
-T- besides, they’ve known each other since they 
were babies, and are sort of far-off kin; if they’d 
been going to marry, they’d have done it long 
ago,” Aunt Maranda said. 

“ All the same, I think they will,” said Nina, 
with a wise little nod of her head. 

Just then a boy came up the walk and handed 
Nina a telegram. 


136 


THE STAGE OF EIEE : 


“ Oh, Aunt Maranda,” she said, jumping up, “ a 
message ! Whom can it be from ?” 

“ I suppose it’s from Mr. Arthur,” said Aunt 
Maranda. 

“ I wonder what is the matter. I just got a 
letter. Read it quick. I am shaking all over.” 

Aunt Maranda took the telegram and read : 

“ Will be home at eight this evening. 

Arthur Everton. ” 

“ Oh, he will be here in less than an hour ! I 
am so glad. I wonder why he is coming sooner 
than he expected !” Nina exclaimed. 

“ Couldn’t tell,” said Aunt Maranda, gathering 
up her work. “ I must go and see that his room 
is all right and things are comfortable for him.” 

Nina followed her into the house, and after 
walking restlessly around for a while, sat down in 
the library and reread her letter. It puzzled her 
more and more to think who Mr. Arthur could 
bring with him. “ I wonder why he did not tell 
me,” she thought. “ He didn’t say anything about 
bringing any one, in the telegram — may be, after 
all, he is coming alone. I expect he has just fin- 
ished his business and thought he’d come right 
home without waiting, and let this mysterious 
somebody that I shall so love to see come as soon 
as he or she can. Who can it be? Well, well, I 


A KENTUCKY STORY. 


137 


must be patient, and he is coming anyway f” — “ Oh, 
there he is now,” she exclaimed, as she heard 
wheels outside. She ran into the hall just as he 
opened the front door. 

“ Oh, Mr. Arthur !” she said, running up to him. 

“ How is our little girl ? Is she glad to see 
me?” he asked, taking her hands in his. 

“ Yes, indeed ! and I am glad you did not go to 
Europe,” she said, as they walked together to the 
library. 

“ Why, my dear little Nina, I had no intention 
of going to Europe. What put that in your head?” 

“ Don’t you remember,” she replied, “ when 
you went away you said may be you would have 
to go a long journey — that you might not be able 
to find those you wished to see, without?” 

“ Oh, and you thought a long journey meant 
Europe?” said he, laughing. ‘Well, I found my 
people without going the long journey, and they 
— well, I’ll tell you about them to-morrow.” 

Aunt Maranda now came in and welcomed him 
home, and after they had chatted a while he said 
to Nina: “Little girl, you run off to bed early 
to-night, and sleep good, so you can get up with 
the birds in the morning. Perhaps you and I will 
have a drive before breakfast.” 

As Nina went up the stairs, she smilingly said 


THE STAGE OE TIEE : 


138 . 

to herself : “ That’s a funny freak. Why couldn’t 
we go after breakfast?” 

She was soon sound asleep, and knew nothing 
until Iran, the house-maid, rapped at her door in 
the morning, and said : “ It’s time to get up, Miss 
Nina !” 

“ What time is it, Iran — seven o’clock?” asked 
Nina, but half awake. 

“ Oh, no, not six yet,” said Iran, and went on 
down the hall. 

After a moment, Nina remembered she was to 
get up early. She was soon dressed and down. 
Arthur met her at the bottom of the stairs, and 
after wishing her ‘ Good morning,” led her into the 
library, where she was rather surprised to see Dr. 
Ouden, the family physician, seated and talking 
with Aunt Maranda. 

Nina was quick to perceive that something out 
of the ordinary was the matter, for Aunt Maranda 
had been crying, and looked at her curiously as 
she came in. 

“ Good morning, Miss Nina, how are you this 
morning?” said the doctor. 

“ Very well indeed, thank you,” said Nina, sit- 
ting down on the sofa. 

She began to tremble, she knew not why, and 


A KENTUCKY STORY. I 39 

wondered what was coming. Arthur Everton sat 
down beside her. 

“ My child/’ he began, “ in the past you have 
had deep sorrows. I and others who love you 
tried to lighten them as we could, but God and 
your own goodness helped you most to bear them. 
Your belief in Him who is great and merciful 
brought hope to your heart when it was cast down ; 
and, Nina, though vour trials have been many, 
great happiness is in store for you ” — 

“ Yes, Mr. Arthur, I know I have much to 
make me happy, and I do thank God for my dear 
friends ; but there is one sorrow that can not be 
healed. When I think of my darling mother, who 
was such a devout Christian, such a lover of God, 
I still can not help wondering why she was taken 
from me.” 

“ Well,” said Aunt Maranda, “ you think your 
mother is in heaven. Would you call her back to 
this life again, if you could?” 

“ Think my mother is in heaven ? Why, Aunt 
Maranda, I know she is there ! Would I call her 
back if I could ? I — I think I would. Oh, I can’t 
help it — I kriozv I would ! I so often long to put 
my arms around her again. Oh, I think she would 
be glad to come to her child, if she could, even 
from heaven,” 


I40 THE STAGE OE EIFE : 

Nina’s voice had grown very low and full of 
feeling. Presently she gave a great sob, and losing 
all control of her feelings, leaned over on the back 
of the sofa and cried as if her heart would break. 

“ Come, come, dear child, don’t cry so,” said 
Mr. Everton. 

“ Here, Nina, take this,” said the doctor, giving 
her something to quiet her nerves when she had 
grown a little calmer. 

While she was taking it, some one handed Mr. 
Everton a telegram. 

“ They’ve missed connection and won’t get here 
until ten o’clock,” he said, in a low tone, to Aunt 
Maranda. “We may as well have breakfast, and 
I’ll tell her afterwards.” 

“ Come, Nina,” said Aunt Maranda ; “ we’ll 
go to breakfast. You’ll feel better after you eat 
something.” 

“ Doctor, you’ll stay to breakfast?” said Arthur. 

“ Of course he must stay,” Aunt Maranda 
turned and said, as she alid Nina went on into the 
dining-room. 

“ How do you think she is going to stand it, 
doctor?” Arthur said, after Nina had left the room. 

“ I can hardly tell,” he said. “ She hasn’t a 
very robust constitution — is nervous and high- 
strung. I fear the shock to her nervous system. 


A KENTUCKY STORY. 


H 1 

You had best just take her off from the rest of us 
and quietly tell her all aboilt it before they come/’ 

“ I will,” said Arthur; “ and you must not leave 
the house, doctor.” 

After they had finished breakfast, Aunt 
Maranda took the doctor out to show him her 
flowers, and Arthur Everton followed Nina into 
the parlor, where she remembered having left her 
hat the previous evening. 

“ Does my little girl feel better?” he said. 

“ Yes, indeed,” said Nina. “ I can’t tell why 
I cried so. I just felt as if some great trouble was 
coming.” 

“ Nina, may be a great joy. Sit down and let 
me tell you about it.” 

Her eyes brightened as she looked up at him 
and said: “ What can it be? I wish I could hear 
from my dear papa. I wonder if he has forgotten 
me.” 

“ No, my child,” said Arthur, “ he has not, nor 
has your mother. In the near future they will 
both return to you and claim you as their long- 
lost child.” 

“ Oh, Mr. Arthur ! what do you mean ? Are 
you insane? You know my mother has been dead 
three years.” 

“ Nina, child,” he said, “ it was all a terrible 


142 


THE STAGE) OE UEE: 


mistake. Your mother is not dead. She and your 
father will be here at* ten o’clock this morning. 
Do not get excited. Listen to me quietly and I’ll 
tell you all about it. Your mother was getting 
well, and was preparing to come home, when, 
through a designing enemy of your father’s, a man 
in Europe, whom your father had offended, your 
father and mother were arrested and sent as exiles 
to Angel Island. The scoundrel then wrote to 
your uncle that your mother was dead, and that 
your father had requested him to write and tell 
her brother ; also that your father would not return 
to this country for a long time, perhaps never, as 
he could not bear to come back without your 
mother. Then it was you were sent to Mexico. 
Your mother had inherited property, which, if she 
died without children, was to go to your uncle. I 
suspected something of this kind when I found 
they were forcing you to sign those papers in 
Mexico. Not long ago I set about investigating 
the matter, and quite recently discovered, through 
your father’s lawyer, that your mother was still 
living; that she and your father had returned to 
this country, and to their horror and sorrow had 
found their child gone, and that they had then 
gone to San Francisco to make their home. I 


A KENTUCKY STORY. I 43 

wrote to them immediately, and yesterday received 
this reply from your father.” 

Arthur took a letter from his pocket and read : 
Dear Mr. Evert on’ 

It is with astonishment and joy that I read your 
letter. Our child that was lost is found! My wife is 
almost overcome with her great happin’ess at hearing 
this welcome news. 

Tell our little daughter her long-lost father and 
mother will soon be with her. We start at once, and will 
arrive next Thursday morning, between seven and eight 
o’clock. 

With more gratitude to you, sir, than is in my power 
to express, I am Most truly yours, 

Edwin W. Boise. 

Nina looked at the letter. It all seemed like a 
dream. It was impossible for her to realize that 
what Arthur Everton had been telling her was 
really true. But there was the letter in her 
father’s handwriting. 

“ This letter came yesterday,” said Arthur, 
“ and a telegram came this morning, saying they 
had missed connection and would not arrive until 
ten. They will be here in fifteen minutes now,” 
he said, looking at his watch and then at Nina, 
who had risen from her chair. 

“ In fifteen minutes !” she repeated. “ Oh, 
God! oh, God! Is it really true? Is my mamma 
really alive?” 


H4 


THE stage of life: 


“ Mamma !” she said, laughing softly ; then with 
tears in her eyes she looked at Arthur, and said : 
“ Oh, it can not be true!” 

tfer face, which had been flushed, grew very 
white. He thought she was going to fall, but 
caught her and helped her to the sofa. She did 
not lose consciousness, however. 

A carriage drove up, and presently some people 
were coming in. Who is this lovely lady with her 
angel face, and this gentlepian, that Aunt Maranda 
and the doctor are escorting in? 

When the two, mother and daughter, saw each 
other, they rushed together, and threw their arms 
around each other. The tears flowed like April 
rains. The mother’s only words were : “ Praise 
God, from whom all blessings flow!” 

There was not a dry eye in the room. 

Nina was so overcome that she could not 
speak. The shock completely prostrated her. 
But joy does not kill. 

That dear mother and father and all the rest of 
the household watched her tenderly until she was 
herself again. The mother could not let her child 
be out of her sight a moment. 

Arthur Everton thought, as he watched that 
mother, that he beheld woman in her loveliest 
aspect. Gentle and self-contained as she was, her 


A KENTUCKY STORY. I 45 

every breath was one of sympathy for her child. 
She would smooth th*e pillow, rub the aching head 
with her cool hand, and send up earnest prayer to 
God for the speedy recovery of her child, the child 
who was overcome with great happiness, with pure 
love for her parents. 

Happy, indeed, were that father and mother 
when their child, restored to them almost miracu- 
lously, was herself again. Their hearts were full 
of unspeakable gratitude to God. They felt as if 
they had nothing else in this world to wish for. 

“ Mamma ” — it gave Nina such a thrill of joy 
to say it, she could not repeat it often enough — 
“ Mamma,” she said, “ you told me my prayers 
would be answered if I prayed in earnest, and now, 
thanks be to God, they have been answered !” 


( jo ) 


CHAPTER XV. 


“ ’Tis thus that life’s vanished moments are spent, 

And, ere we’re aware, with eternity blent; 

No longer we find them, no longer they’re ours, 

But are gone from our sight, like the child’s wasted 
flowers. ” 

Thomas St. Clair, Nina’s uncle, lay danger- 
ously ill. Word had been sent to his sister that 
if she and Nina wished to see him again, they 
must come at once. 

When they arrived they found that Mrs. St. 
Clair and Janetta had been watching all night, 
fearful that at any moment “ Uncle Thomas ” 
might pass away. The doctor had sent them to 
the next room to rest, saying he would call them 
if it was necessary. Mrs. Boise and Nina were to 
come right up, and the doctor said he would not 
leave. 

Mr. St. Clair had lain quiet for some time, but 
suddenly roused up and looked at the doctor with 
a pained expression on his face. The doctor asked 
him if he was suffering. 

“ Oh, doctor !” he said, “ I am wretched and 
filled with remorse for my sins ! Like Lord Ches- 
terfield, I have been as wicked and as vain, though 


A KENTUCKY STORY. I47 

not as wise as Solomon ! I feel the truth of his 
reflection, ‘All is vanity and vexation of spirit!’ 
Goethe declared at the age of eighty-four, when 
the light of time was going out and the loadstars 
of eternity were beginning to open on his vision, 
that he had scarcely tasted twenty-four hours’ solid 
happiness in the whole course of his life! But I 
am more wr etched than he ! I die as Voltaire, with- 
out hope. Oh, give me an opium to deaden the 
terrible forebodings of coming woe ! Would that 
I could say, like Lord Byron, ‘ I have fought a 
good fight and am ready to be offered up ’ ! But, 
alas, I leap into darkness weighted down with a 
heinous sin ! I had the gypsies kidnap my sister’s 
child ! — the child she left to me for safekeeping 
in her absence ! If either of us died without chil- 
dren, the other was to have all of my -father’s 
estate. I gave the gypsies a thousand dollars to 
take away my sister’s child because I wanted her 
inheritance as well as my own ! That sister’s look 
when she came back — and found — her child gone 
has haunted me ever since ! ‘ Oh, where is my 

darling child, the child I left with you, brother 
Thomas?’ she said. ‘ God help me find her!’ My 
conscience told me, then, to have her child brought 
back, and ask her forgiveness; but, ‘No, no,’ the 
devil said ; ‘ hold out ; don’t give in,’ and I listened 


148 THE STAGE OE UEE: 

to the devil ! I am ashamed to look in their faces 
even on my deathbed ! I repent from the bottom 
of my soul, but, oh, too late, too late! They can 
never forgive me now!” 

“ Uncle Thomas,” said Nina, going to him and 
taking his hand, “ we have forgiven you. Ask 
God to.” 

“ Yes,” said Mrs. Boise, coming quietly to his 
bedside, “ we forgive you all, brother, but only 
Christ can take away your sin. Oh, pray to him (” 

“ Sister, it is too late. I call, and he hears 
me not! You can not know the misery of your 
wretched brother — the brother that did you such 
a wicked wrong!” 

“ Thomas, my brother, don’t waste your little 
strength in bewailing your sins, but spend it in 
prayer to God for forgiveness,” said Mrs. Boise. 
u Ask him to take away your sin and clothe you 
with his righteousness. Nina is happy now, and 
so am I. God restored us to each other. It is 
true we suffered, but it was for some wise purpose. 
If he had not permitted it, you could not have sent- 
my child away, any more than you could keep us 
apart when he willed we should be restored to each 
other ! Can not you see how small and weak all 
our independent acts are in his sight? He is great 
and good and all powerful. Trust him. He is 


A KENTUCKY STORY. 


I49 


able to save to the uttermost those who call upon 
him in faith! You’ve not known God truly, or 
you wouldn’t have gone so far from him. He is 
perfect in wisdom and justice, but he is also a 
merciful God. He is Love itself ! His love far 
excelleth the love of sister, brother, wife or mother. 
It is love so deep, so high, so broad, that the black- 
est wretch who ever lived may know its saving 
power, if he will. The person of Jesus Christ per- 
sonified this mighty love on earth. Once, for all 
time, he suffered the misery of our sin, that we 
might go to God with hearts washed clean by the 
agency of the Only Righteous One. Will you 
not accept with your heart and confess with your 
mouth this Redeemer of God’s elect? — Oh, Lord 
Jesus,” she prayed, “reveal thyself to my poor, 
sinful brother before it is too late. Cleanse his 
heart and open his eyes, that through faith he 
may see thee in thy beauty !” 

“ Oh, God, I am the chief of sinners, but for 
Christ the Redeemer’s sake, save me !” prayed 
Uncle Thomas. 

“ Read something from God’s Word, Nina, 
child,” said Mrs. Boise. 

Nina turned to the twenty-third Psalm, the 
psalm she remembered reading when the first real 


the: stage: oE uEE: 


150 

trouble she had ever known came upon her. With 
what a different feeling now she read : 

“ ‘ The Lord is my shepherd ; I shall not want. 
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures ; he 
leadeth me beside the still waters ; he restoreth my 
soul. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the 
shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for thou art 
with me. Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.’ ” 

The doctor called Mrs. St. Clair and Janetta, 
for he saw that the end was drawing near. 

Going silently to his bedside, they kissed the 
husband and father farewell forever. His eyes 
were closed, but a sweet smile had come to his 
face, which only left it when the breath left his 
suffering body and his spirit returned to God, who 
gave it. 

The next day, late in the afternoon, his 
“ earthly tabernacle ” was laid to rest. 

When they returned to the house after the 
funeral, Mrs. Boise urged the bereaved wife and 
daughter to go home with her, and henceforth be 
of her household. They, however, declined. Mrs. 
St. Clair had not forgotten her unkind treatment 
of Nina, and Nina’s and her mother’s goodness to 
her now was beyond anything she could under- 
stand. It humbled her to the very dust. She 
realized they had something in their hearts and 


A KENTUCKY STORY. 


I 5 I 

lives that she had missed. Nevertheless, softened 
and completely won over as she was, and though 
she felt utterly alone and wretched, she could not 
bring herself to accept any more than she was 
obliged to from them. 

She knew that it was through her influence 
mainly that her husband had sent Nina away, and 
then deceived his sister when the sister returned 
for her child. 

“ How dreadfully am I punished !” she thought. 
“ My husband stricken down in the full strength 
of his manhood, and I left alone — alone !” 

With all her pride and wickedness, she had 
cared more for him than for anything else in the 
world, and now, thinking how quickly the years 
had flown and how little she had got out of them, 
her eyes were opened to see her own selfishness, 
and she could not help realizing that “ the race of 
the wicked is not long.” 

Sad this is for the wicked, but true enough. 
How many have supped from sorrow’s cup for 
mistreating and misjudging the innocent ! 

The day following the funeral Nina and her 
mother returned home. As they said “ Good-by,” 
all felt that sorrow had brought their hearts closer 
together, at least for the time being, than they had 
ever been before. 


thE STAGE OE UEE: 


* 5 ^ 

Janetta saw them off, and after they had gone 
found herself walking toward the cemetery. The 
■slm was low, leaning upon the purple crest of a 
distant hill; its yellow light flashed over the forest 
of marble pillars, and their cold, polished surface 
gave back the warming glare, as if sunshine were 
a mockery in the silent city of the dead. Somber, 
sacred, guardian cedars extended their branches 
over the resting places of both the young and old 
sleepers in “ God’s acre.” 

“ There sleep two generations of our family,” 
thought Janetta, as she walked slowly on, after 
looking at the moss-covered mausoleum ; “ now 
the crowded lot has room for only two more nar- 
row beds — mother’s and mine.” 

She felt as if she cared not how soon she was 
laid away in hers. 

Thus it ever is when the first great bereave- 
ment comes upon one. The uncertainty of life 
and the certainty of death make everything seem 
unreal and not worth while. 

It is only after we are taught of God’s Spirit, 
through life’s experiences, of both joy and sorrow, 
that we can realize in any degree the real meaning 
of our life on earth — that it is a beginning, a 
school, a preparation for the larger life beyond. 

After we have learned this we can truly live — 


A KENTUCKY STORY. 1 53 

live with a large and growing faith in God’s omni- 
potence and love, and in the saving power of 
Christ, the God-man. 

A deeper, purer, stronger love comes into our 
hearts for those about us. Our souls feel closer 
to theirs, because we know theirs, as well as ours, 
are bound to God. 

We may falter and fail, but we recover and go 
on, for our hope is eternal, and the joy of living — 
of growing in heart, mind and soul — fills our 
being. Thus we learn to know what a glorious 
thing life is, even in its crude beginning, on this 
earth ! 

Oh, what shall it be hereafter, “ when that 
which is perfect is come,” and “ that which is 
imperfect shall be done away ” ! 


CHAPTER XVI. 


“ I wish that friends were always true, 

And motives always pure; 

I wish the good were not so few, 

I wish the bad were fewer; 

1 wish that persons ne’er forgot 
To heed their pious teachings; 

I wish that practicing were not 
So different from preaching. ” 

-J. G. S. 

A happy year had passed, which Nina and her 
parents, with an occasional visit from Miss Kaugh- 
man or Mr. Everton, had spent in Lexington, so 
that Nina might go on with her studies in Ham- 
ilton College. The sad, pathetic expression which 
her lovely face had worn so long was gone, and in 
its place was a bright, contented look. The joy 
of again having her precious mother always near, 
and of feeling the protecting care of her dear 
father, filled her heart. More beautiful than ever, 
she was just becoming as healthy and happy- 
hearted as God intended all his young creatures 
should be. 

Mr. and Mrs. Boise could not do enough for the 
daughter that had been so miraculously restored 
to them; but no matter how much kindness and 
attention was lavished upon her, Nina could never 


A KENTUCKY STORY. 


155 


become spoiled or selfish. The sorrow she had 
herself been through made her keen to detect signs 
of suffering in others. Her beautiful young pres- 
ence shed joy and brightness wherever she went, 
and she was never so happy as when looking after 
some creature who needed sympathy or help. 

Full of energy and unusually capable for a girl 
of sixteen, she always had her hands and heart 
full, and no small part of her time was devoted to 
ministering to the wants of the unfortunate. 

It was now summer again. Mr. and Mrs. Boise 
and Nina had gone to the country, the sweet coun- 
try of Kentucky, where flowers bloom and birds 
sing as they do nowhere else on earth. 

One beautiful morning, as Mr. Boise was stand- 
ing on the front porch, Nina’s horse was brought 
out for her to ride. She soon appeared, attired in 
her tasteful dark blue habit. Her father’s face 
brightened with pride and affection as he assisted 
his lovely young daughter to mount her horse. 

“ Where are you going this morning, my 
daughter?” he said. 

“Oh, papa!” she answered, merrily, “I’m 
going to see a wounded knight!” 

He looked at her with an inquiring smile. 

“ No,” she said, “ joking aside ; I am going to 
see a poor boy, who is anything but a knight, I’m 


The stage oE eieE: 


156 

afraid. He was stealing a ride on that train that 
was wrecked by robbers yesterday. In firing at. 
them they mistook this boy, who was a tramp, for 
one of them, and wounded him so badly that he 
won’t probably recover. Aunt Jane told me about 
him. He is in a cabin, several miles down the 
pike, near the railroad, and except for two old 
people who are very poor, there is no one to see 
to him. He is somebody’s child — somebody’s 
brother, and may be I can do something for him. 
Anyway I’m going to see!” 

“ Well, return and let me know about him, 
Nina. I don’t like to have you go on such errands 
alone. If you aren’t home in a little while, I’ll 
send after you, or hunt you up myself,” her father 
said., 

“Very well, papa; but there isn’t a bit of 
danger. I know almost everybody around here, 
and they’ll do most anything for me. Good-by; 
I’m off.” 

She turned and threw him a kiss as she went 
down the driveway. 

“ What sunshine I have in that child !” Mr. 
Boise said, as he went into the house. 

Nina soon found the house to which the 
wounded boy had been taken. He lay so still and 
looked so pale she thought he must have fainted, 


A KENTUCKY STORY. 


157 


“ Good morning, young man. How are you?” 
she said. 

“I — I am some easier, kind Miss. Who are 
you?” he answered, looking at her wonderingly. 

“ I am Miss Boise, and am staying near here 
for the summer. I heard of your being hurt, and 
came to see what I could do for you,” she said 
kindly. “ Have you any friends? Where are you 
from?” 

“ Well, Miss, I am a soldier; ran away from 
home when a child, and my people haven’t ever 
got a trace of me since. A prodigal indeed, I’ve 
been, and was going home to see my old mother, 
who, if she’s living, has passed her seventieth 
birthday, and my sister. But fate’s against me ; 
I’m afraid I’ll not get there alive ! My name is 
James Overstreet.” 

“ Have you had a doctor?” asked Nina. 

“ No, ma’am. A man went after one for me, 
but he asked if I had any money. The man said 
he reckoned not, so the doctor wouldn’t come.” 

The boy’s voice grew weak, and he seemed 
exhausted by the effort he had made in talking, 

Nina went and got a basket she had brought 
with her, containing things she thought might be 
needed. She bathed his face and fed him, then 
went to call the old man and woman. She had 


THE STAGE OE LIFE: 


158 

seen them in a potato patch near by, and the 
woman had directed her where to find the wounded 
boy. She employed them to look after him. 

“ I will see that the doctor comes,” said Nina ; 
“ and I’ll send ice, and enough for you all to eat.” 

“Is he anything to you, Nina?” asked the 
woman. 

“Yes,” said Nina; “he is my brother.” 

“ Your brother!” said the old woman, in aston- 
ishment. 

“ Yes. God is the Father of us all. I have 
never seen this young man, nor heard of him, but 
he is somebody’s child, and it’s our duty to give 
help when it’s needed,” Nina said. “ What clothes 
has he?” 

“ Only what he has on, an’ that hickory shirt 
is the ole man’s,” the woman said. “ His’n was so 
bloody I let him have that till his’n was washed.” 

“ Well, I’ll send some clothes and bed linen for 
him,” said Nina. 

She put the “dipping gourd” to his lips, shook 
out his pillow, then bade him “ Good-by,” and was 
gone. 

She soon rode up to the doctor’s office. 

“John, is the doctor in?” she said, as the doc- 
tor’s man opened the door in answer to her knock. 

“Yes, ma’am,” John replied. 


A KENTUCKY STORY. I 59 

“ Hold my horse, please. I want to see him,” 
said Nina. 

The doctor was sitting back in his chair smok- 
ing. He got up with a smile when he saw Nina 
coming in, and said : “ Well, bless me, if here isn’t 
my little Nina ! Sit down ; sit down. I’m glad 
to see you, though you’re in trouble, of course. 
What’s the matter this time ? Some old negro got 
rheumatism? or has some poor old body hurt her 
foot? or may be the ‘ mad god ’ has bit the dog!” 

“ Noj doctor, none of these catastrophes, but I 
have come to ask a favor, as usual,” said Nina, 
taking a chair. “ I want you to go to see a poor 
boy who was shot in that railroad wreck. He is 
down on the pike at old man Wood’s cabin. Then 
there’s a typhoid fever case in a small house just 
beyond there, in the way of a little girl. I wish 
you would visit her also. See that both of these 
sick people want for nothing, and sends the bills to 
me. I’ll stop at the store and have some things 
sent out, on my wav home.” 

“ *' To hear is to obey/ Miss Nina. But, my 
child,” said the doctor, “ you must not go there 
any more. That fever is contagious, and besides 
you ought not to go to those people. They are 
a low class, and poor is no name !” 

“ Yes, ’tis true they are poor, and I suppose 


l6o THE STAGE OE WEE I 

low,” Nina replied; “but nevertheless they have 
souls, just as you and I have ! Doctor, I hope you 
are not like the world, and judge people by their 
clothes and earthly goods. That’s no way to do. 
You are a doctor, and your business is to> cure, 
and even if they are not much more than paupers, 
six feet of earth makes us all of a size at last ! 

* The soul is the only thing !.’ as some wise one 
said. I was reading' some truths eloquent with 
beauty on this subject not long ago. ‘There are 
beautiful creations all around us that manifest the 
wisdom of God, but he has made nothing so glo- 
rious as the human soul,’ the author said. ‘ The 
morning star shines with a perishable luster, the 
sea with all its strength shall roll together as a 
vapor and pass away, but a pure, righteous and 
loving soul has in it the likeness of God, and shall 
survive all outward and material things. We may 
trace this fact in the clear distinction seen between 
the man and his works. What a discrepancy there 
is between the creations and the capacity — between 
the word that breaks upon the lips and the inex- 
haustible thought that gushes within ! What is 
the finest masterpiece of art, to the artist’s ideal? 
What is the loftiest reach of discovery, to the 
earnest aspiration that stretches out for more? 
M.usic, sculpture, painting — these are glorious 


A KENTUCKY STORY. l6l 

works ; but the soul that creates them is more 
glorious than they! The music shall die on the 
passing wind — the poem may be lost in the con- 
fusion of tongues — the marble will crumble and 
the canvas will fade ; while the soul shall be 
quenchless and strong — filled with a nobler mel- 
ody, kindling with loftier themes, projecting im- 
ages of unearthly beauty, — and drinking from the 
spring of imperishable life !’ There, doctor,” she 
concluded, “what do you think of my sermon?” 

“ It’s fine, Miss ; but you are ready for another 
world. I am not.” 

‘ No, no, doctor, I’m not. I am just beginning 
to find my work in this one, and I have so much to 
thank God for. I feel the only way to show my 
appreciation of his goodness to me, is to assist 
his creatures whenever I have an opportunity. You 
kuow what the Bible says about ‘ showing your 
faith by your works.’ My works are small and 
few, — but, doctor, your skill must supplement 
them.” 

Nina got up to go. The doctor accompanied 
her to the door, promising to do all she asked, but 
still insisting that she ought to find “ work ” that 
did not endanger her own health. 

On the way home she met her father coming to 
look for her. She told him what she had done. 


162 


the STAGE OF UFE: 


He smiled approvingly, telling her to call on him 
for help when she needed it for any of her “ charity 
cases,” as he called them. He said that, out of the 
abundance with which God had blessed him, it was 
a pleasure and privilege to help her relieve the suf- 
fering of the unfortunate. 

The next day, about noon, a boy came for Nina, 
saying he had been sent to tell her the young man, 
Tames Overstreet, was dying, and wanted to see 
her. She lost no time in going to him, and found 
that his life was fast ebbing away. The doctor had 
relieved his suffering, but could not save. him. He 
lay propped up on pillows, pale and emaciated, 
and so still that she thought he was already dead ; 
but as she came near, he opened his eyes, and his 
face brightened as he said : “ Miss Boise, I wish to 
thank you for your kindness to me. I am grateful 
to you not only for your gifts, but for the sweet 
peace you brought to my soul when you first came 
to see me. After I’m gone, I want my body sent, 
please, to my sister, Mrs. Knight, in Louisville.” 

“Mrs. Knight? Oh, I know that lady!” Nina 
exclaimed. “ She was the one who took me with 
her the day 1 left my mother, nearly five years ago ! 
— and is there anything you wish me to tell her, 
James?” 

“ No, nothing. Won’t you sing to me of 
heaven, Miss Boise?” 


A KENTUCKY STORY. 


163 

Nina sang, and as she did so the poor boy’s 
soul floated away on the wings of eternal song. 
The following day his remains were sent to his 
sister. He was dressed as a gentleman, and his 
casket was the best Nina’s father could find. A 
kind and loving letter from Nina read as follows : 

CeEave Hiel, Ky., June 15th. 

My Dear Mrs. Knight: 

It is with a sad heart I send the remains of your long- 
lost brother to you. Little did any of us think, when you 

called for me that day, and let me go with you to K , 

that I could ever return the kindness in any way; but we 
little know how things will turn out in this world. 

I was with your brother when he died, and did all I 
could for him. His body is now out of pain, and his soul 
is in heaven. 

The doctor will write you at once, and tell you more 
particularly about his illness and death. 

Asking to be remembered to your daughter, not for- 
getting yourself, and sorrowing with you in your sorrow, 
I am, Very sincerely yours, 

Nina Boise. 

The doctor’s letter reached Mrs. Knight first, 
but she had scarcely finished reading it when her 
brother’s remains and Nina’s letter came to her. 

She was filled with grief and remorse of con- 
science. She vividly remembered the little grief- 
stricken child leaving her mother. She also re- 
membered how harshly she had treated her, think- 
ing her a bother and trouble because she sobbed 
and cried. 


164 the stage of eife: 

“ To think that it should fall to that child’s lot 
to do this great kindness for me,” she said to her 
daughter. “ I remember she said it might be she 
could repay me some day, and I remember my 
answer to that heart-broken child, — ‘ Nonsense, 
what can you ever do for me,’ was my ungracious 
reply. How I wish I’d been more patient with her 
and treated her more kindly. I must tell her how 
I thank her for what she’s done for me, and how 
sorry I am that I did not show her more consider- 
ation. The doctor said in his letter, that my 
brother was only a tramp, with absolutely nothing, 
and she supplied all his wants ! This will teach me 
a lesson long to be remembered.” 

After her brother’s body was laid away in its 
last resting-place, Mrs. Knight wrote Nina a letter 
full of sweet and tender feeling — a letter Nina 
could hardly believe was from the cold-hearted, 
disagreeable woman who had had charge of her on 
that memorable journey. 

Mrs. Knight had indeed changed in many 
ways ; but her daughter Emma was still selfish and 
stubborn, and when her mother asked her to send 
some message to Nina, would not. 

“ Mother,” she said, “ that girl was a great 
bother. Don’t you remember how she sobbed and 
bleated ? Such a little ‘ goody-good ’ as she was, 


A KENTUCKY STORY. 1 65 

too. Don’t worry me about her. Your brother 
was nothing but a poor tramp — what did he want 
to live for? There is no need for you to mope 
and go on so. It doesn’t help matters any. I think 
it’s silly. I don’t intend to follow up trouble that 
way !” 

“ My daughter,” said her mother, “ we don’t 
have to follow trouble up. It will come without 
our looking for it.” 

“ Oh, mamma, you’re getting poky yourself 
since you’ve taken to praying and reading the 
Bible. No doubt, that Nina Boise spends all her 
time that way. As for me, I don’t even know the 
Lord’s Prayer.” 

“ Oh, Emma, do learn it, or you’ll have some- 
thing to turn you to it,” Mrs. Knight said earn- 
estly. 

“ Well, I’ll not worry till it comes,” Emma 
replied, airily, — a speech she deeply repented at 
no distant time. 

Less than two months had passed when Nina 
received from Emma Knight the following letter : 

My Dear Miss Boise ■ 

I feel that I must write to you, asking your sympa- 
thy and prayers. Sadly and tearfully we walk through the 
grass-grown paths from the graveyard, my mother hold- 
ing my hand. I look at her marble-like face. I never saw 
features so white, so sad. 


THE stage of life: 


i 66 


Alas! I have no father now. 

All will ever be fresh before my mind — the day he 
told us he was not well, and how, at the close of that day, 
I saw him faint upon mother’s bed — the hour when they 
said he was worse, and how my heart stopped beating at 
the thought of what might be! I could not think my 
father, with his piercing black eyes and raven hair, — my 
father with his straight, magnificent person, with all his 
wealth, and with his big, kind heart, could die! 

I stood by his bedside, and heard him in a faint voice 
tell them to place his hand upon my head, — that cold hand, 
which as it lay upon my head chilled me to the heart. 
And then I saw him die. I went in and out of the death 
chamber. I followed the casket to the last resting-place. 
When I returned I thought I should die. I threw my- 
self on his bed, and called “Father, father! come back to 
me!” Then, when I grew calmer, I opened the Bible 
where he had last read, and greedily my eyes fastened 
upon the words, “ Our Father, which art in heaven.” How 
they struck me — how they filled me with wonder. The 
book fell from my hands. I saw for the first time what 
was meant by “Our Father,” — my Father, my heavenly 
Father. All the sweetness of my dead father seemed 
unfolded, and ten-fold magnified as I felt my heavenly 
Father’s love and pity pour upon me. I ran to my mother 
and sobbed out in my joy that I’d found a Father! 

And now my heart goes out to you. I ask you to 
forgive me the sinful feeling I’ve held toward you — you 
whom I have just begun to understand. May God be 
with us all. I am, from henceforth, 

Lovingly and earnestly yours, 

Emma Knight. 

Nina was deeply touched by this letter. She 
had never seen Mr. Knight, but remembered hear- 
ing her father say what a splendid man he was; 


A KENTUCKY STORY. 


167 


how trustworthy, how generous, how kind- 
hearted ; and now God had taken him ; and Emma 
Knight as well as her mother had been turned to 
heavenly things. 

“ Oh,” said Nina, to her mother, “ we ought 
never to hold ill-will toward those who do not 
treat us as we’d have them, for in the end, when 
they come to their true selves, they may become 
our best friends.” 

She laid the letter away among other treas- 
ured ones she possessed, and thanked God that she 
had another true friend, and that that friend had 
started on the road which leads to eternal happi- 
ness. 


CHAPTER XVII. 

The same mail which brought Emma Knight’s 
letter to Nina brought another and a very different 
letter from Emma Lee Tucker, which read : 

Pine Grove, August ioth. 

My Dear Nina: 

I have great news for you. I am gbing to make you 
a visit! That is, I am writing now to see if it will be con- 
venient for your mother to have me. I am just dying to 
see you, and it’s so hot and horrid here, I can’t stand it 
any longer. I tried to persuade Aunt to take me to the 
seashore, but she said she was away in the spring and 
wouldn’t leave Uncle Tucker again this summer, and he — 
well, 1 don't believe you could get him off his plantation 
to go to my funeral! Anyhow, he said the cotton would 
soon need his attention, so to expect him to take me any- 
where was out of the question. I was getting desperate 
when 1 remembered that your father had taken a house 
in the country for the summer, and the happy thought 
struck me: I might go to see you. Just think, Nina, 
only a month left before we have to go back to school! 
But I can’t stand even a month more, down here, for 
more reasons than one. I’ve just had a big fuss with my 
last “ devoted,” Morris Berkley, and Uncle Tucker ordered 
him off the place! He seems terribly “cut up,” but I 
don’t care much, for I never would have had him anyway. 
He hasn’t style enough, and is altogether too tame for 
me! Ah, me! he’s been right nice though, and I suppose 
I’ll miss his attentions. 

Aunt seemed mightily pleased when I told her I was 
going to ask you to let me visit you. She took a great 
fancy to you when she saw you at “ Hamilton ” last 


A KENTUCKY STORY. 


169 

spring; said she wished I’d always show such good taste 
in the friends I made. Say, Nina, what become of that 
handsome Mr. Everton that used to come from Cincin- 
nati to see you? But you can tell me all about him when 
I see you. Just write me a short little note, quick, and 
tell me whether I can come to you or not. 

Oh, you should see my lovely new gowns! Such 
beauties as they are. I’d tell you about them, but must 
get this in the next mail. 

Give my kindest regards to your mother and father, 
and hoping to see you very soon, I am, 

Your true friend, Emma LEE. 

“ Well, mamma dear,” said Nina, “ shall I write 
Emma Lee to come?” 

“ Certainly, my dear, if you’d like to have her,” 
replied her mother. “ It must be very warm as 
far South as she lives. Let me see, Emma Lee 
w'as the handsome dark-haired girl who came 
home with you to tea, ' sometimes, last winter, 
wasn’t she?” 

“ Yes,” said Nina. “ Don’t you remember my 
telling you, mamma, she was my room-mate the 
first year I went to Hamilton College. She was 
very kind to me in some ways, and kept me from 
feeling lonely when things were new and strange 
to me.” 

“ Yes, yes, dear, I remember all you said about 
her. Well, tell her we shall be glad to have her 
come. She seemed to be a pleasant-mannered 
girl. Isn’t she older than you are, Nina?” 


170 


THE STAGE OE UEE : 


“ Oh, yes, nearly two years ; but in some 
branches we recited in the same classes. Emma 
Lee is very bright, but she won’t study any more 
than she is obliged to. She is not fond of books.” 

“ I’m glad you are, Nina. A girl who forms a 
liking for good books need never be lonely or dis- 
contented.” 

In due time Emma Lee arrived, and with her 
handsome face, vivacious personality and pretty, 
stylish clothes, made an agreeable impression on 
all who met her. 

Mrs. Boise in the course of time saw traits that 
indicated she was a very much spoiled young lady ; 
but Emma Lee had many attractive ways, and 
soon became a favorite among the young people 
of the vicinity, who flocked to see Miss Boise’s 
guest. They made much of both her and Nina, 
inviting them to their houses, getting up picnics, 
taking long country rides, and having the “ good 
times ” generally which the young and light- 
hearted ever enjoy. 

Emma Lee, though scarcely nineteen, was 
quite an accomplished coquette, and soon a num- 
ber of the young men were very much in love with 
her. 

While they admired Nina, and the favored ones 
delighted in her friendship, there was something 


A KENTUCKY STORY. 1 7 1 

in the childish innocence of her face and a certain 
dignity of soul that her personality was possessed 
of, which forbade any sort of familiarity. As for 
flirting with her, they would as soon have thought 
of coquetting with a guardian angel ! 

Late one afternoon the two girls sat chatting, 
under the trees, on the front lawn. They had been 
invited to a gathering of young people that eve- 
ning, some miles distant, and as they expected to 
start immediately after tea, were already dressed 
for the festivity. 

Emma Lee wore a beautiful gown of some soft, 
filmy, pink material, which set off her rich South- 
ern beauty as no other color could. Gems glistened 
at her throat and belt, not more brilliant, however, 
than did her bright black eyes beneath their 
straight, dark brows. 

Nina was in gauzy white, relieved by ribbons of 
turquoise blue. Her lovely hair was fastened back 
in a full loose knot, though a few wayward curls 
would escape, and it seemed as if their soft, curved 
strands of rich gold color were the last touches 
that could possibly be added to her exquisite 
beauty. 

All unconscious that she, herself, looked like 
a fairy princess from a story-book, Nina sat on a 
straight-backed settee gazing admiringly at the 


172 THE STAGE OE EIEE: 

radiant beauty of Emma Lee, who, half reclining 
against numerous bright pillows, swung in a ham- 
mock near by. 

A truly beautiful picture the two girls made. 

“ So Mr. Everton is coming, before tea, this 
evening,” said Emma Lee. “ Do you think he’ll 
go with us to the Brandons to-night?” 

“ I don’t know,” said Nina ; “ I hope so.” 

“ Are you in love with him, Nina?” 

“ Emma Lee ! what a question to ask me. Mr. 
Everton has known me for years, and still regards 
me as a little girl.” 

“ You’re almost seventeen. I had been en- 
gaged twice when I was seventeen !” said Emma 
Lee. 

“ Why, Emma Lee ! — Well, I don’t know how 
it is with other girls, but I could never become 
engaged to any man I did not intend to marry,” 
said Nina. 

“ Oh, goodness, you can’t marry them all, and 
it’s only after you’re engaged that you find out 
whether you really want a man or not — generally 
not ! With all my ‘ affairs,’ I have never been 
really and truly in love yet — enough in love to 
marry a man, I mean. But, my, when I am ” — she 
sat up straight and her eyes flashed as she said it 
— “ I’ll stop at nothing to get the man I want ! — I 


A KENTUCKY STORY. 


173 


reckon, though, I won’t have much trouble,” she 
added, as she leaned lazily back again in her ham- 
mock. 

“ Dear me,” said Nina, “ I could never give my 
heart to a man unless I was perfectly sure he loved 
me above all others, and wanted it.” 

“ Oh, a man always loves the girl he thinks 
loves him the most — that is, if she is passably 
good-looking !” said Emma Eee. 

“ Not always,” said Nina, “ for there’s Mr. 
Everton, who has been in love with Miss Kaugh- 
man for years, and Aunt Maranda says she is in 
love with some one else !” 

“ Who is ‘ Aunt Maranda ’? and who is ‘ Miss 
Kaughman ’ ? and how do you know Mr. Everton 
is in love with her?” asked Emma Lee. 

“You met Miss Kaughman, Emma Lee, last 
winter, at our house. Don’t you remember her? 
She is not very tall and has lovely brown eyes,” 
Nina replied. 

“ Oh, that old maid — why, she is twenty-eight, 
if she’s a day. I don’t believe Mr. Everton is in 
love with her,” exclaimed the eighteen-year-old 
beauty. 

“ Old maid, indeed ! She’s not an ‘ old maid,’ ” 
said Nina, with some spirit; “she’s my dearest 


174 


THE stage oe eiee: 


friend. Next to my mother, I love her more than 
any woman on earth.” 

“ Weil, I beg your pardon, I’m sure. No doubt 
she is charming; but, really, the idea of Mr. Ever- 
ton being in love with her is absurd. She is too 
old for him; now, isn't she?” said Emma Lee. 

“ She is only a year older than he is,” replied 
Nina. 

“ Oh, well, he’ll marry a younger person — you 
see if he doesn’t!” Emma Lee said, with more 
meaning, perhaps, than Nina comprehended. 

“Oh ! there goes my little typhoid fever girl,” 
exclaimed Nina, waving her hand and smiling 
brightly at a child who was passing on the road at 
the end of the lawn. “ She has been sick in bed all 
summer — has just got strong enough to go 
about. — Help yourself to some flowers, dear,” 
Nina called out, as the child smiled at her, then 
looked longingly at a tall althea bush in full bloom 
near the gate. 

“ Did your shoes fit?” Nina asked her. “ How 
did you like the jelly I sent?” 

The child looked down at her feet, then bash- 
fully toward Nina. 

“ Mighty good ! Thank’ee, ma’am,” she an- 
swered, shily turning to pick the flowers before 
continuing on her way. 


A KENTUCKY STORY. I 75 

“ I wonder which is ‘ mighty good ’ — the jelly 
or the shoes ?” said Emma Lee, laughing, as the 
little girl, made happy by the flowers, went on 
down the road. “ Nina,” she continued, “ you cer- 
tainly have a raft of the poor and decrepit hang- 
ing on to you. I don’t see how you find time to 
look after them.” 

“ Why, I have nothing else to do,” said Nina; 
“ not a thing else in the world. I can look after 
them easily and still have plenty of time left for 
myself.” 

The gate clicked. They looked up, and there 
was Mr. Everton coming toward them with two 
oblong paper boxes. He lifted his hat and smiled. 
Nina jumped up and ran toward him. 

“ How’s my little ‘ sister ’?” he said, taking her 
hand with his free one. 

“Oh, so well, and so glad to see you,” said 
Nina. “ You remember my school friend, Miss 
Emma Lee Tucker, Mr. Everton?” 

“ Indeed I have not forgotten her,” he said ; 
and as Emma Lee smilingly replied, “ I’m de- 
lighted to see you again, Mr. Everton,” he laid one 
of the boxes in her lap. The other he handed to 
Nina. 

Emma Lee moved over and obligingly put a 
pillow in the other end of the hammock; but Mr. 


176 


THE STAGE OE UEE: 


Everton’s eyes were on Nina, and he presently sat 
beside her on the settee. 

“ I should say you hadn’t forgotten either of 
us/’ said Nina, as she opened her box and brought 
to view a mass of beautiful long-stemmed white 
lilies. “ Thank you so much, Mr. Arthur.” 

Both she and he wondered if the other remem- 
bered the lily she had once given him, and both 
smiled at the thought. 

Emma Lee’s box contained gorgeous pink car- 
nations. 

“ How perfectly grand of you !” said Emma 
Lee, — “ just what we both wanted for this evening. 
Of course you’re going with us to the Brandons, 
Mr. Everton ?” 

Before he had time to reply the tea-bell rang, 
and they arose and started toward the house. 

“ I hope to have that pleasure, Miss Tucker,” 
Mr. Everton replied. “ By the way, quite a noted 
musician, whom I happen to know, is to be there, 
I hear.” 

“ In that case, you’ll surely enjoy yourself, 
Nina,” said Emma Lee to her, as Mr. and Mrs. 
Boise were welcoming Mr. Everton. “ You are so 
fond of music.” 

“ Music or no music, I could not help enjoying 
myself where Mr. Arthur is !” said Nina impul- 
sively. 


A KENTUCKY STORY. 


177 


“What’s that you said, little girl,” he asked, 
turning to her before sitting down to the table. 

“ Oh, she said you would make me enjoy my- 
self to-night at the Brandons,” Emma Lee said 
quickly, while Nina hesitated and blushed. 

“ I don’t imagine there will be any question in 
regard to your enjoying yourself, Miss Tucker,” 
he replied with a smile. 

And there wasn’t. She had not been at the 
Brandons fifteen minutes before she was sur- 
rounded by young men who vied with each other 
in their efforts to get a smile, a word, or even a 
glance from the “ Southern belle.” 

After a while, however, she decided in her own 
mind that she would be much happier in a shaded 
corner of the porch with Mr. Everton making love 
to her. She was casting about in her mind how 
she could bring this desirable state of things to 
pass when, there being a lull in the conversation, 
Nina was urged to sing. 

She sang some old-time ballads that her father 
loved. She was indeed very fond of music, and her 
feelings, either sad or joyous, frequently found 
expression in poetry or song. A poem that ap- 
pealed to her she rarely forgot, and to sing when 
her heart was full was as natural as to breathe. 

The musician who was present listened to her 
( 12) 


178 


THE STAGE OE I, I EE : 


pure, pliant voice, so clear, so true, so full of ex- 
pression, with growing delight. He came and took 
her hand, almost reverently, when she had finished, 
and asked her where she had studied. He told 
her she had a precious gift in her voice, and ought 
to do all she could to enhance its strength and 
beauty. 

Later, when the musician played, oh, so beauti- 
fully, some of the divine compositions of the great 
masters, Nina listened with her soul in her eyes 
and a rapt, expression of countenance, as if she 
were lifted out of and beyond herself. Arthur 
Everton watched Nina’s face. 

“ She is a divine poem herself,” he thought — 
“ an exquisite song.” 

The following day, the musician saw Nina’s 
father, and talked to him very enthusiastically in 
regard to her voice. 

“ Mr. Boise,” he said, “ your daughter’s voice 
is wonderful in many respects. I have been accus- 
tomed to hearing singing, good singing, all my life, 
and rarely, never in one so young and who’d had 
so little instruction, have I heard a voice so true, 
so pure, so flexible as hers. You should send her 
abroad to have it trained and strengthened by one 
of the great teachers.” 

“ Well,” said Mr. Boise, “ I knew that my 


A KENTUCKY STORY. 


179 


daughter had a good voice — one that pleased me 
— but had no idea it was so unusual a voice as 
you seem to think. I had thought, however, of 
having her go abroad for a year or two, when she 
gets through school, to study music and perfect 
herself in modern languages. She is young yet, 
and has plenty of time.” 

“ Oh, my dear sir, now, while her mind is still 
young and impressionable, is the time for her to 
study music. Youth is the time to learn music as 
well as anything else. Maturity can but intensify 
and strengthen what is learned in youth. Don’t, 
I pray you, postpone very long sending her to 
some great teacher of voice in Paris, Germany or 
Italy.” 

“ Well, I’ll talk it over with her mother,” said 
Mr. Boise. “ I certainly thank you, sir, for your 
kindly interest in my daughter’s talent and for 
calling my attention to it.” 

“ Ah, sir, such a voice, such a voice as she has ! 
I could not help it,” the musician said, as he shook 
Mr. Boise’s hand and prepared to take his leave. 

Mr. Everton stayed with the Boises several 
days. He showed Emma Lee much kindness and 
attention. She could not but feel, however, that 
it was only because she was Nina’s guest that he 
felt more than a passing interest in her. Young 


180 the stage of ijfe: 

ladies like Emma Eee were no novelty to Arthur 
Everton. He had been thrown much with society 
girls, and had known many different kinds. Some 
he had found, who were sweet and generous- 
hearted, while the fine manners of others were 
simply a veneer which covered their vanity and 
selfishness. 

As for Nina, she was his ideal of what a girl 
should be. All his hopes for the future centered 
around her. 


CHAPTER XVIII. 

When autumn came, Mr. and Mrs. Boise de- 
cided not to postpone longer having Nina go 
abroad to study, but to take her at once to Paris, 
where she could have every musical advantage, 
and at the same time continue her other studies. 

Emma Lee wanted very much to go with Nina, 
and begged her aunt and uncle to send her to 
Europe also. She had always had her own way, 
and they finally yielded to her in this as in every- 
thing else, thankful that she had chosen such 
desirable friends as the Boises. 

Mrs. Tucker wrote to Mrs. Boise, asking, as 
a great favor, that Emma Lee might be of her 
party. Mrs. Boise hesitated about assuming the 
responsibility for so long a time, of a girl like 
Emma Lee, but was finally persuaded, against her 
better judgment, to do so. 

Mr. Everton and “ Aunt Maranda ” were also 
going, but expected to return in two months. 
Mr. Everton had business in Europe, and had in- 
vited Aunt Maranda to take the trip with him. 

At the last moment, after passages had been 
secured and all were in New York expecting to 


182 


THE STAGE OE EIEE: 


start in a few days, Mr. Boise found that, on 
account of business complications which had 
arisen, he could not start for a month or six weeks. 
All were in a quandary as to what to do. 

“ Well,” said Aunt Maranda to Mr. and Mrs. 
Boise, “ if you would trust the girls to our care, 
Arthur and I could take them across, and I’d be 
glad to look after them for a few weeks until you 
could come.” 

“ Thank you,” said Mr. Boise ; “ that is very 
kind. I should insist on Mrs. Boise going with 
you, but, although she is much stronger than she 
used to be, she is far from being in perfect health, 
and I think it would be wiser for her to wait until 
I can go, to look after her comfort. As for Nina 
and Miss Emma Eee, there is no reason why they 
should not go with you. Indeed, I think it might 
be a very good plan. Their apartments are secured 
in Paris, their teachers engaged, and all arrange- 
ments made for them. — How does the plan strike 
you, my dear?” he asked, turning to his wife. 

“ I dislike being separated from Nina,” she 
replied ; “ but I suppose, if we must, we can stand 
it for a few weeks. I couldn’t think of going 
without you. I should feel lost. — There is no one 
1 know in whose care I should be willing to trust 
my daughter, as in yours and your aunt’s, Mr. 


A KENTUCKY STORY. 


183 


Ever ton,.” she said to Arthur ; “ this will only be 
adding another to the great favor you rendered 
us in years past.” 

“ Indeed, Mrs. Boise, you must know that I am 
more than glad to* do anything in my power to 
serve Miss Nina, or her parents. Aunt Maranda 
and I shall feel it a privilege to have the .young 
ladies go with us.” 

“Well, that settles it,” said Mr. Boise. “You 
see, Everton, a man who proves himself a good 
friend in one extremity is liable to be called on in 
another.” 

The day the ship was to set sail arrived, and a 
beautiful clear day it was. The “ goodbyes ” were 
said, and for the first time since they had been 
restored to each other, Nina and her mother were 
to be separated. But how different was this leave- 
taking from that other so long ago. Nina knew 
that this parting was but for a short time, and she 
was going with kind friends, whom she loved well. 
She and her mother clung to each other, and tears 
would come to their eyes, but smiles were on their 
faces, and each tried to be brave for the other’s 
sake. Soon the good ship was off. Nina watched 
the forms of her father and mother on the shore 
grow smaller and smaller, as the ship got farther 
away. At last they looked like small specks. Then 


ThE stage of EifE: 


184 

Nina began to realize how very far away they 
would be. She stretched out her arms toward 
them* saying aioud: “Oh, I don’t want to leave 
them ! Let me go back to them !” 

“ The days will fly by before you know it, little 
'girl. You will hardly get settled in Paris before 
your father and mother will come walking in,” said 
Arthur Everton, who happened to be the only one 
who heard her. 

As they got farther and farther out, the beau- 
tiful blue ocean, so vast, so grand, with its myriads 
of white-capped waves glistening in the sunlight, 
seemed more and more sublime to Nina. 

“ All the poets have ever said about it does not 
begin to express what it is !” she said, as she gazed 
far out to where sky and water met. 

“ Come on, Nina, let’s go and explore our 
state-room,” said Emma Lee ; “ you’ll have a week 
lo gaze at the sea, and will no doubt get your fill 
of it before we land.” 

Aunt Maranda went with the girls, and Arthur 
Everton proceeded to look up the Captain, intend- 
ing to learn all he could concerning the things he 
thought the women of his party would probably 
soon begin to ask about. 

Poor Aunt Maranda did not, for some time, get 
an opportunity to ask many questions. She was 


A KENTUCKY STORY. 


185 

soon very sick, and had to go to bed, where she 
spent most of her time for the first few days. Nina 
and Emma Eee stood the ship’s motion better. 
They shared a stateroom next to the one Aunt 
Maranda occupied. 

“ It’s like old times for us to be room-mates 
again,” said Nina to Emma Lee, looking around 
their comfortable stateroom. 

“ Yes, and if things didn’t ‘wabble’ so, you 
could hardly tell but what you were in a house,” 
said Emma Lee. 

“ This ship would hold dozens of houses. It’s 
like a small city afloat,” Nina said, as they went 
back on deck. 

After supper, they watched the sun sink, like a 
big ball of fire, into the ocean. 

“ What marvelously beautiful things God has 
made !” exclaimed Nina, as it disappeared, leaving 
a strange pinkish light in the sky, which the water 
reflected. 

“ Yes, it’s too bad Aunt Maranda is missing 
all this,” said Arthur Everton. 

“ Let’s go and see how she is, Emma Lee,” said 
Nina. 

Later in the evening, after Nina had stayed 
some time with Aunt Maranda, she went into her 
stateroom for a moment before going on deck 


1 86 the stage of eife: 

again, and while she was there Emma Lee came in 
for a wrap. 

“ Oh, Nina !” she exclaimed, “ who do you 
think I have met on board? No other than my 
old flame, Morris Berkley ! I’ve made an engage- 
ment to walk with him. He is waiting for me 
now.” 

“ I thought you had quarreled with him,” said 
Nina. 

“ Oh, that’s nothing,” said Emma Lee ; “ we’ve 
both forgot about it, it’s been so long ago. I don’t 
intend to allow him to make love to me again, but 
a little conversation will be interesting ! — I won- 
der what has become of Mr. Everton. Do you 
suppose he is seasick?” 

“ Oh, I hope not,” Nina said. 

“ Well, bye-bye. See you later,” Emma Lee 
called as she went. 

Nina, too, soon went on deck. She found her 
steamer-chair. That part of the deck was quite 
deserted, but she did not mind. The beautiful 
silver moonlight was by this time over everything. 
She felt, when she looked out to sea, as if she were 
in an enchanted place, a phantom ship — so strange 
and lovely was the moonlight on the vast, vast 
water. It seemed as if something new and won- 
derful and delightful might happen at any mo- 


A KENTUCKY STORY. 


187 


ment. Then she began to think of her past life, 
with its great sorrows and great joys, and she 
thought that the joys had overbalanced the sor- 
rows. 

More joy, and, sad to say, more sorrow also, 
were in store for Nina, which she little dreamed of 
then. 

Emma Lee had walked but a few minutes with 
Mr. Berkley, when she met Mr. Everton, who was 
wandering around looking for her and Nina. She 
stopped at once and introduced the two men, wish- 
ing that she could in some way get rid of Mr. 
Berkley, for she would have preferred walking with 
Arthur Everton. 

“ Where is Nina, Miss Emma Lee?” Mr. Ever- 
ton presently asked. 

“ Oh, she has retired, I think,” said Emma Lee ; 
“ she said she had a headache.” 

Mr. Everton soon excused himself, and went off 
to smoke a cigar. He had just thrown it away 
when he happened to glance over toward the part 
of the deck occupied by their chairs. He thought 
he saw a small, dark object in one of them, and 
went slowly in that direction to see if it was any 
one he knew. When he drew nearer he heard 
Nina’s sweet, clear voice as she sang softly to 


The stag# of UFEL 


1 88 

herself the beautiful old song, “ Lorena.” He list- 
ened a few moments in silence as she sang: 

“ The story of the past, Lorena, 

Alas, I care not to repeat; 

The hopes that could not last, Lorena, 

They lived, but only lived to cheat. 

I would not cause one vain regret 
To rankle in thy bosom now, 

For ‘ if we try we may forget ’ 

Were words of thine long years ago. 

“ It matters little now, Lorena, 

The past is in the eternal past; 

Our heads will soon lie low, Lorena, 

Life’s tide is ebbing out so fast. ^ 

There is a future! Oh. thank God, 

Of life this is so small a part! 

’Tis dust to dust beneath the sod, 

But there, up there, ’tis heart to heart. ” 

Mr. Everton went to the stateroom to find 
something in the way of a wrap, for he saw Nina 
was without one. He presently returned with a 
scarlet-lined dressing-gown and softly laid it 
around her shoulders. 

She looked up with a smile, saying: “ I did not 
know you were up here. — That is more comfort- 
able* thank you.” 

“ I did not know you were here, either,” said 
Arthur. “ Miss Emma Lee told me that you were 
sick and had retired. — I was surprised at your not 
bidding me good-night,” he added, smiling at her. 


A KENTUCKY STORY. 1 89 

“ Why, Emma Lee surely knew I was not go- 
ing to retire !” she exclaimed. 

Arthur looked down at her soft, sweet face and 
tender eyes. 

“ Nina, my dear little girl, can you imagine 
why I was so particularly anxious to cross the 
Atlantic Ocean now?” he said, drawing a chair 
near hers. 

“ Yes, Mr. Arthur, you had business,” she 
replied. 

“Yes, 1 have business, — business that fills my 
heart and mind to the exclusion of everything else, 
and no better time to tell it than now, Nina.” 

“To whom can you tell it now? — Isn’t that 
breeze lovely? Let’s stand by the railing a while,” 
said Nina. 

“ To you,” Arthur said, as they stepped to the 
railing and leaned against it — “ I have some busi- 
ness which you can settle for me, if you will. Will 
you, my darling little girl?” 

Nina wondered why he was so earnest and 
solemn. “ Yes, indeed,” she said, “ if I can do any- 
thing for you, I’ll do it with all my heart.” 

“ Well, dear,” said Arthur, softly, “ I’m think- 
ing of — of — getting married, provided ” — 

“Provided Miss Kaughman is ready?” asked 
Nina, glancing at him with her soft blue eyes, 


I90 THE STAGE OE UEE : 

“Miss Kaughman! Why, Nina, child, Miss 
Kaughman has never been more to me than a dear 
friend. Don’t you know that Miss Kaughman has 

been engaged for a long time to General S ? 

A large part of the great regard I have for her, 
Nina, is on account of her kindness to you! ’Tis 
you, I love, — you, my beautiful child-woman, — you 
with your sweet ways and your loving heart. Do 
you think, precious child, you could trust yourself 
to me? Do you think, if not now, at some future 
time, you could give your heart to me for always? 
I suppose I should have waited another year — 
but could not. If you don’t want to answer me yet, 
don’t feel that you must, darling. But, Nina dear, 
you are, and ever will be, the one woman in the 
zvorld for me!” 

Nina was looking out to sea, but her very soul 
drank in every word that he uttered. 

Even in the moonlight he could see her color 
come and go, her heart heave with emotion. She 
turned to him when he had finished, and though 
tears were in her eyes, an unspeakable joy shone 
through them. 

“ Mr. Arthur — Arthur,” she said softly and 
timidly, “ 1 think I have loved you for a long time, 
— and have just found it out. I — I did not know 
until now that my heart was so full of you !” 


A KENTUCKY STORY. 


I 9 I 

The tears were running down her cheeks as 
she looked up at him. He took her face in his 
hands and kissed her reverently on the forehead. 

“ My precious darling, my pure white lily, so 
tender, so holy, God make me worthy of you ! — 
and God bless you !” he said. 

For a moment he put his arm around her, and 
her head was on his breast. 

“ God bless us both !- — I feel so happy, so filled 
with a great peace,” she said, looking trustfully 
into his eyes. 

Two forms approached in the moonlight, which 
proved to be those of Emma Lee and Mr. Berkley. 

“ Why Nina, I thought you’d gone to bed,” said 
Emma Lee. “ Let me introduce Mr. Berkley. My 
friend, Miss Boise, Mr. Berkley.” 

“ I’m very happy to meet you, Miss Boise. 
Miss Tucker has been telling me about her ‘ beau- 
tiful friend ’ — but, ah, ’tis worth crossing the ocean 
to get a glimpse of a face like yours !” said Mr. 
Berkley, looking the admiration he so boldly 
spoke. 

“ Don’t mind him, Nina. He’s talking profes- 
sionally, — lie’s an artist,” Emma Lee laughingly 
said, then crossed over to Mr. Everton and began 
a conversation with him. She soon found, from 
the way he answered her, that his thoughts were 


192 


THE STAGE OE UEE : 


not on what she was saying. She wondered what 
could be on his mind that gave his handsome face 
such a proud, joyous expression. Arthur Ever- 
ton’s whole being was so filled with the thought 
that he had won Nina’s heart that nothing short 
of an earthquake — hardly that — could have 
made much impression on his mind that night. 

Mr. Berkley made not much more headway 
with Nina than did Emma Lee with Mr. Everton. 

“ Say, Nina,” said Emma Lee, after a while, 
“ do you know it’s getting dreadfully late? Don’t 
you think we’d better say ‘ good-night ’?” 

“ Yes,” Nina replied, “ and poor Aunt Mar- 
anda, I ought not to have left her alone so long.” 

Mr. Everton escorted them across the deck. 
Just before leaving them, he held Nina’s hand to 
his lips a moment. He said “ good-night ” to them, 
then went and wrote a long letter to Nina’s father. 

After Nina was in her stateroom, she looked 
at her hand and smiled dreamily. She wondered 
if he had felt the delightful thrill of happiness she 
had, when his lips touched it. 

“ Well,” said Emma Lee, “ what did you think 
of Morris Berkley, Nina?” 

“ Wh — what did you say, Emma Lee ?” asked 
Nina, abstractedly. 

“ Mr. Everton looked handsome to-night, 
didn’t he?” continued Emma Lee. 


A KENTUCKY STORY. 


193 


“Oh — Arthur — yes!” said Nina. 

“Nina Boise, what is the matter with you?” 
asked Emma Lee. “ You act as if you are in a 
kind of ecstatic dream, and don’t know a thing I’m 
saying!” 

“ Oh, Emma Lee !” said Nina, “ I can’t help it, 
I’m so happy ! — I am engaged to Arthur Ever- 
ton.” 

“ Engaged to Arthur Everton !” repeated 
Emma Lee. “ W ell ! — I thought you were in love 
with him ! I suppose now you two will go moon- 
ing around the rest of the voyage. Ah — that is 
why he iooked so — so satisfied with himself and 
things in general. You had just said 1 yes ’ to 
him! — Well, I — I wish you joy, I’m sure,” she 
added, realizing that she had not received the news 
of Nina’s engagement very graciously. 

But Nina did not notice it — she was too 
absorbed in the strange, new happiness which 
possessed her. 

“ Thank you, Emma Lee,” she replied smiling, 
as she sat down to read her nightly chapter from 
the Bible ; “ I wish that every woman in the world 
could be as happy as I am !” 

“ I’m glad you are so happy, Nina,” said Emma 
Lee, then leaned over and kissed her soft, pink 
cheek. 


*94 


THE STAGE OF LIFE: 


Alas, little did the trusting, unconscious Nina 
realize what a “ Judas’ kiss ” it would prove to be. 
Spoiled and selfish Emma Lee was filled with jeal- 
ousy, and was already wondering if she could not 
find some way to alienate the affections of these 
true lovers. As for them, their hearts were filled 
with such a song of joy as can come only to the 
pure and good. 


CHAPTER XIX. 


The Boises and Emma Ree Tucker had been in 
Paris nearly a year. 

Mr. and Mrs. Tucker had come for Emma Lee 
early in the spring, expecting to spend six or eight 
weeks traveling with her in Europe, and then take 
her home. She, however, did not wish to go with 
them. 

“ Pm much obliged, aunt,” she had said, “ but 
I don’t care a thing about going around looking 
at art galleries and. old cathedrals. They are all 
alike, and it’s a poky, tiresome business.” 

“ Why, Emma Lee !” her aunt had exclaimed, 
“ do you mean to tell me you don’t want to go to 
Rome, or Florence, or Vienna, or Venice, or any 
of the old historic cities you’ve heard of and 
studied about all your life?” 

That is just what I mean, aunt,” was Emma 
Lee’s reply. “ Paris is good enough for me. I 
much prefer to stay here and go on with my 
studies while you and Uncle Tucker go sight- 
seeing. When you are ready to sail for New 
York, you can come back for me.” 

Mrs. Tucker was surprised at Emma Lee’s 


the stage of eife: 


196 

manifesting so much devotion to her books, but 
gave in to her, thinking that her love of study 
must have been brought about by Nina’s influence. 

Nina was alwa}^s conscientious and industrious 
about any work she undertook, and had made 
great progress during the year, especially in music 
and literature, the studies she liked best. She had 
a new incentive, too, to make her want to learn as 
much as possible. Mr. Everton was much older 
than she, and knew a great deal more, she thought ; 
and as she would one day be his wife, she wanted 
to learn all she could before that day came. 

Nina felt that heaven itself could hardly bring 
more joy to her than did this great love that had 
come into her life. She grew more womanly and 
reserved, but more beautiful also. The love in her 
heart shined out in her face. 

Mrs. Boise, too, was happy in her daughter’s 
happiness. She rejoiced that Nina would all her 
life have the love and protection of so wise and 
good a man as Arthur Everton. 

Emma Lee had, at times, tried in various ways 
to make Nina dissatisfied with the man she loved, 
but had never succeeded. 

“ He is self-conceited and proud, and I don’t 
see how you can stand him, Nina,” she said once. 

“Ah, Emma Lee,” Nina had replied, smiling, 








# 











- 































































The Love Letter 







A KENTUCKY STORY. 1 97 

“ you don’t know him as I do, or you could never 
say such things. He is all that I could hope or 
wish for! I would not change one thing about 
him.” 

Thus it always was. Emma Lee found that 
Nina’s feeling for Mr. Everton was too deep and 
true to be in the least affected by anything she 
could say. 

Before Mr. and Mrs. Tucker left, as Emma Lee 
started out with her aunt to do some shopping one 
day, she said : “ Have you any letters you want 
posted, Nina?” 

“ Oh, yes, thank you,” answered Nina. “ I’ve 
just finished a letter to Mr. Everton, and shall be 
so glad to have you mail it for me.” 

Two weeks or so after Emma Lee’s aunt and 
uncle left, Mrs. Boise imagined Nina was losing 
some of her bright spirits. She was getting pale, 
too, her mother thought, and looked as if she did 
not sleep enough. Finally, later in the spring, 
Nina had quite a sick spell. The doctor said it 
was caused by too close application to her books, 
and that she needed rest and change. 

The Tuckers were coming back in a few days 
now, to take Emma Lee home, and Mr. and Mrs. 
Boise decided that after she had gone they would 
take Nina to some quiet watering place for a few 


1 98 the stage oe eiee: 

weeks, and that when her health had improved, 
they, too, would sail for home. 

Arthur .Everton was in New York. He had 
been there a month or more attending some busi- 
ness matter, and also looking after a great chari- 
table enterprise, in which he and some of his 
friends were interested. The future looked very 
bright to him. His love for Nina had grown 
stronger and deeper, as he believed hers had for 
him. Her letters to him through the winter had 
been sweet messages straight from her heart, and 
he never read one of them without saying : “ God 
bless her. How dear she is to me !” 

But now something seemed to be the matter. 
Her letters became less frequent, and when they 
did come, were not filled with the womanly ten- 
derness and affection they had been ; indeed, they 
did not seem at all like the letters his “ beautiful 
Lily,’ 7 as he called her, had been wont to write. 
He could not understand it, but made excuses for 
her, thinking she had a great deal to do, and per- 
haps did not have the time she had heretofore had 
to write all that was in her heart. Alas ! however, 
this was not true. 

One day, as he stepped into his New York 
office, his eyes fell upon what looked like an 
unusually large letter from Nina. Eagerly he 


A KENTUCKY STORY. 1 99 

opened it, but it was only a cold note, inclosing 
his picture. The next mail brought another letter 
from her, which read : 

Paris, May 20th. 

Mr. Ever ton 

I have been deceived in myself and you. I do not 
care for you at all. I have found another man whom I 
really do love with all my heart. My parents have decid- 
ed to have me stay here and study another year, and then 
I shall marry Dr. Green, the man of my choice. 

I did not love you, even that night on the ocean, 
but was just carried away for the time being. I should- 
have thrown you over long ago, had it not been for this 
silly, conscientious, little Emma Lee, who, by the way, 
sails for New York next month. She says you are noble 
and good, and I ought not to treat you so; but I don’t 
care for you, and am tired of pretending to. 

Please return my letters and picture. 

Nina Boise. 

The letter fell to the floor. Arthur’s head 
dropped in his hands. He felt as if he had nothing 
else to live for. What could have changed his 
darling so, he thought, sadly, for, no matter what 
she said, he felt certain that she had loved him. 
It must be this Dr. Green. What a great influ- 
ence he must have over her. The letter did not 
sound like Nina at all. He picked it up and read 
it over again, great tears standing in his eyes, of 
which he, strong man that he was, was entirely 
unconscious. His precious little Nina was his no 


200 


THE stage oe eiee: 


more * Could it be possible ? He put the letter 
in his pocket and went home. 

After a long look at her photograph, he sent 
it, with her letters, to her, but wrote no word. He 
could not. 

As for Nina, when they came to her, she was 
amazed. She looked at them sorrowfully, but said 
nothing; then, for some strange reason, she hid 
them away, not wanting even her dear mother to 
question her about the coldness that had arisen, 
she knew not why, between Arthur and herself. 
It was at this time that she became so ill, and the 
doctor ordered rest and change. 

About three weeks after Arthur had received 
the letter from Nina, which darkened all things 
for him and made his heart feel as if it were lead, 
a note came from Emma Lee, saying that she had 
arrived in New York that morning, and that he 
must come to see her soon, for she had much to 
tell him. 

One evening he called on her. She received 
him cordially. She had the same pleasant, engag- 
ing manner as of old, but it seemed to him that 
the expression of her bright black eyes had grown 
restless and somewhat hard. She was very inter- 
esting, though, and made an attractive picture in 
her Paris-made evening gown of pale yellow satin. 


A KENTUCKY STORY. 


201 


When finally Mr. Everton brought himself to a&k 
her about Nina, she said : “ I hate to tell you all 
this, Mr. Everton, but she has changed the most 
of any one I ever knew. She fell in love with a 
Dr. Green, who went to Paris to study art. She 
is simply wild about him, and is so different, 
you wouldn't know she was the same girl! It 
makes me feel dreadful, but really I don’t care to 
associate with her any more !” 

“ I hope she will never marry a man beneath 
her,” said Arthur Everton, in a low, sad tone. 

“ Well, Mr. Everton, you could hardly believe 
it, and it seems a dreadful thing to say, but I don’t 
think she could do that!” exclaimed Emma Lee. 

“ Don’t say any more, Miss Emma Lee. I can 
not stand it. I am still in love with Nina Boise, 
and shall always love her with a love that can not 
die,” Arthur replied. 

Emma Lee bit her lips with vexation, but said 
almost immediately: “Yes, Mr. Everton, that is 
just why she said they would not return to the 
United States. She said she did not wish to be 
bothered with you ; that since she had known 
Dr. Green, you were decidedly poky, and she 
knew, if she came back, you would still want to 
hang around.” 


202 


THE STAGE OF LIFE: 


. Poor Arthur could stand no more of this. He 
got up to go. 

“ Oh, don’t go !” exclaimed Emma Lee. 
“ Every one doesn’t think you are poky,’ f she 
added, looking smilingly up at him, and waving 
her fan to and fro in a manner that would best 
display her round white arm. 

It was all lost on Mr. Everton, however. He, 
who was always so polite and deferential in his 
bearing toward all women, went away that night 
without shaking hands or even saying “ Good 
night ” to Emma Lee. 

• She grit her teeth in rage after he had gone. 
“ I’ll make him hate her yet !” she said to herself. 

Emma Lee had not “ grown in grace.” She 
had indeed a wicked heart. How wicked and 
deceitful she had been, Arthur Everton did not 
then know, but he thought, as he went away, that 
she was altogether too willing to talk disparag- 
ingly of Nina. He did not care to call on her 
after that first time. 

He was sad and heavy-hearted these days. He 
would have trusted in Nina’s love beyond anything 
else in the world, and the thought that she was 
untrue to him cut deep into his soul. 

He went. about little and could not be inter- 
ested in anything, though he did not neglect either 


A KENTUCKY STORY. 203 

his business or his self-imposed duty, of relieving 
suffering and doing good as he found opportunity. 

One evening, as he was walking not far from 
the river, he saw a forlorn looking woman jump 
from a bridge into the water. He called for help, 
and she was rescued. It turned out that she was 
a widow, with one child. She was poor and sick, 
and had become discouraged. Mr. Everton had 
her taken to a hospital, and her child sent to 
the Children’s Home until she should be able to 
care for it. She told him she had a sister some- 
where in New York who was a nun, but that 
she had recently come there, and had not been 
able to find this sister. When she got well enough 
to leave the hospital, Mr. Everton helped her to 
secure employment and a home for herself and 
her child in a hotel, the proprietor of which was 
an acquaintance of his. 

It happened that Emma Lee and her aunt, 
Mrs. Tucker, went to this same hotel to stay^ after 
having stopped the first week of their sojourn in 
New York at another. Mr. Tucker had gone 
home to his plantation soon after landing. His 
wife would like to have gone with him, but Emma 
Lee insisted on staying in New York a few weeks, 
and Mrs. Tucker had to stay with her. 

Emma Lee had asked her aunt to write a note 


204 


THE STAGE OE UEE : 


to Mr. Everton, inviting him to dine with them 
shortly before they left their first hotel. He, how- 
ever, had declined the invitation, and had not, as 
yet, called since, so knew nothing of their going 
to another hotel. 

One afternoon, as he was looking over the 
daily paper, his eyes fell upon the paragraph: 

“ Mr. and Mrs. Boise and Miss Boise, of Kentucky, 
have returned to New York, after a year’s absence in 
Europe. ” 

His heart almost stopped beating. He felt as 
if he must go immediately to see them. Then the 
bitter thought came to him that they did not want 
to see him. 

He put on his hat and went out into the street. 
He had not walked two blocks before he saw the 
familiar figure of Mr. Boise coming towards him. 
They clasped hands. Mr. Boise was more than 
glad to see him, and insisted on his going at once 
to the hotel to see Mrs. Boise and Nina. 

Mrs. Boise received him with the same gracious 
cordiality as of old. Her friendliness was surely 
sincere, Arthur thought. She seemed like a sweet 
breath from Kentucky. Her stay in Paris had not 
changed her a particle. 

In a few minutes Nina appeared. On seeing 
him she grew very white, and almost before they 


A KENTUCKY STORY. 


205 


realized that anything was the matter, fell in a 
dead faint. Ill health, a rough sea voyage and the 
sudden meeting, altogether, were too much for her. 
They worked with her for some time, and finally 
brought her to. After she had swallowed a little 
wine, she insisted that she was all right, but Mr. 
Boise thought a physician ought to be called in to 
see her at once. Arthur said that he would go 
for one. 

“ Come back this evening, Arthur,” said Mr. 
Boise, as he left them. 

In a few minutes the doctor came. He pre- 
scribed for Nina, but said there was not much the 
matter with her; that the voyage had probably 
upset her, and she would be all right in a day 
or two. 

When Arthur arrived that evening, Mr. and 
Mrs. Boise were still in the dining-room at dinner. 

Nina, though much better, had not wished to 
go to the table, and was sitting in the small parlor 
adjoining their bedrooms. 

Arthur looked at her pale face and slender 
form tenderly. He thought how often in years 
past his heart had gone out to her, even as it did 
now. He felt that her happiness was far more to 
him than his own; that he could suffer and even 
die, yes, die content, if she were happy! 


206 


the STAGE oe EIEE: 


“ Nina, child/’ he said kindly, as in the old 
days, “ if my presence causes you any annoyance, 
I’ll go at once; but I want to say ‘ good-bye/ and 
to tell you that above everything else in the world, 
my child, I want you to be happy, and I hope the 
man you have chosen will make you so. It is 
hard to give you up — God only knows how hard, 
— but perhaps this man you have chosen is more 
worthy of you than I — this Dr. Green.” 

“ Dr. Green !” exclaimed Nina. “ What are 
you saying, Mr. Arthur? Oh, what do you 
mean? I believe there has been a horrible 
mistake, somehow!” 

“ Why, Nina, I wish it was a mistake ; but here 
is your letter telling me all. It stabbed me to the 
heart, but I’ve carried it ever since it came!” 

Nina read the letter in horror. She recognized 
her own handwriting. She wondered if she was 
crazy. Gathering herself together with a great 
effort, she said : “ Before God, Mr. Arthur, I never 
wrote that letter !” 

“You did not? Oh, thank God!” he said. 
“But who could have written it?” 

“ Let me think !” exclaimed Nina, putting her 
hands to her head. 

“ Oh, it must have been Emma Lee,” she said, 
sadly, the tears running down her cheeks. “ What 
did I ever do to her that she should treat me so !” 


A KENTUCKY STORY. 


207 


Mr. Everton came nearer to her. 

“ Then you still care for me, Nina?” he asked, 
and held out his hand. 

Silently she placed hers in it. He took her 
other hand and drew her to him. She felt as if 
the earth were crumbling beneath her. Her soft 
blue eyes sought his pale, handsome face. Oh, 
how dear he was to her ! Her beautiful face, with 
its mournful, tender eyes, told of the agony she 
had endured, but the light of love shined from 
it now. 

“ God only knows how I love you and how 
I’ve suffered — Arthur,” she whispered. 

His arm was around her. All his love was 
hers. A great yearning to possess her filled his 
heart. He had sought and now had suffered 
for her. 

“ My own darling, my beautiful one. Thank 
God, I’ve not lost you and your precious love,” 
he said. 

Soon Nina’s father and mother joined them, 
and a happy evening they spent together, making 
plans for a speedy marriage. 

Arthur returned to his rooms that night with 
a heart free as air. After all, his “ beautiful Lily ” 
was true to him, and would soon be his very own, 
his forever. As for Emma Lee, he wouldn’t have 


208 


the STAGE oe IJEE: 


believed so fair a woman capable of such mean- 
ness. He thanked God that her wicked purpose 
had come to naught. 

Alas! he could not see what trouble was yet 
in store for him. Early the next morning there 
was a gentle rap at his door, and when he opened 
it there stood a “ Sister of Charity.” 

“ Pardon me, kind sir,” she said, “ but I came 
to reveal some wickedness to you. It is not my 
business, but I feel as if it were a duty I owe you. 
You are the man who rescued my sister when 
drowning, and who, when she was sick and desti- 
tute, found a comfortable home for her and her 
child. I have prayed for the time to come when 
I could in some manner repay you for your kind- 
ness, and now my prayers are answered. Shall I 
tell you?” 

“Yes, sister, if it concerns me, tell me,” he 
replied. “ I have faith in you. My mother was 
a Catholic, and a better woman never lived.” 

“ First, kind sir, you must promise me not to 
relate to any one what I tell you,” she said. “ It 
is all true as gospel, but our vows are such that 
we may not repeat anything we hear; and should 
the priest hear of my telling you anything, I would 
be turned out of the sisterhood, placed in a cell, 
and fed on bread and water the remainder of 
my days.” 


A KENTUCKY STORY. 


209 


“ Well, sister, you need not fear me. I will 
never betray a friend, and, moreover, I would not 
have you suffer all that for worlds/’ said Arthur. 

“ Last night,” the sister began, “ a young lady 
in a hotel was taken quite sick, and I was assigned 
to her for a nurse. While I was there another 
most beautiful young lady, with black hair and 
eyes, who had evidently been sent for, came in, 
and the sick girl seemed very glad to see her. 
From the run of their conversation, I should judge 
that my patient had lately been in Europe, but I 
did not pay much attention until I heard her men- 
tion your name. She said that you, Mr. Everton, 
had been to see. her, and that she had put ‘ all ’ on 
her friend. ‘ I pretended that you did it all, and I 
want you to tell him you did it/ were her words. 
Then my patient said that her father was insolvent, 
and that that was why they had returned to New 
York. She said that some doctor, after finding 
out that they were poor, had told her he could not 
marry her, and that then they resolved to find you 
and fix up this story, putting the blame for some- 
thing on her friend — ‘ Emily/ I think she called 
her. ‘ I knew you would help me out,’ she said to 
her; ‘you’ve always been so kind to me. I was 
not surprised when Arthur Everton came,’ my 
patient continued. ‘ He was the same old fool, 

( 14 ) 


210 


THE STAGE oe UEE: 


and I played him fine. I can never love anybody 
but the doctor, and can never be happy with any 
one else ; but papa said I must pretend, and Arthur 
would marry me and save us. Won’t you help 
me, Emily, by telling Arthur that you wrote these 
letters, if he asks you?’ After a moment’s reflec- 
tion, this Emily answered, ‘Yes.’ After she had 
gone, my patient had a high fever, and was much 
worse. I was with her all night, but this morn- 
ing, when I was relieved by another nurse, she 
was some better. Her mother will allow no more 
visitors, however, as she says they upset her.” 

“Sister,” said Arthur, “ what you have said 
astounds me. What was your patient’s name?” 

“ I can not tell you,” she answered ; “ but this 
Emily called her Lina or Nina, or something like 
that. She was beautiful beyond description.” 

“ Yes,” said Arthur, with a groan, “ she is 
beautiful as a dream, and had it not been for you, 
she would soon have been my wife ! But, ah, I 
can never marry a woman who loves another 
man, and who would plan to deceive me in such a 
horrible manner.” 

After the sister had left, Arthur’s face took on 
a hard, set look. He determined that, no matter 
what his feelings were toward Nina, he did not 
want to marry her if he could not trust her, 


A KENTUCKY STORY. 


2 1 1 


and he would certainly not be made a dupe of by 
her father. “ Oh, who would have thought such 
people as they were could stoop to such deceit for 
a little money !” he thought. “ Insolvent ! How 
could they be? Mr. Boise, he knew, was very 
well off, and Mrs. Boise had considerable prop- 
erty besides in her own name. Could this story 
all be false? Could Emma Lee have bribed the 
sister to come to him with such a yarn? No,” he 
thought, “that couldn’t be; the sisters are under 
strict vows, and this one had a good face.” She 
impressed him as being a refined, cultivated 
woman; besides, she did not even know Emma 
Lee’s right name. 

He picked up the morning paper, and almost 
the first thing he saw was an account of Mr. 
Boise’s assignment! All his property was under 
mortgage, the paper said, on account of his hav- 
ing gone security for a cousin to the extent of a 
hundred and fifty thousand dollars. 

“ It’s all true, then,” thought Arthur. “ Why 
didn’t he say something about it yesterday? Why 
didn’t they come to me in a frank, honorable way, 
and ask my help? Oh, what friends I thought 
them, and what would I not have done for them, 
for Nina’s sake ! But after this we must be 
strangers; and now I’ve got to write a note and 


212 


THE STAGE oe liee: 


tell her so. Ah, me, how I wish, instead, I could 
go to her and say, ‘ Here I am, to save all for 
you!’ But I am a fool to think kindly of her 
when they have so basely tried to deceive me” 

The note Nina received from him read : 

My Dear Miss Boise: 

Upon reflection, I beg to break our engagement. 
Money is not the thing it is represented to be, as you 
would find if you married one you did not love for its 
sake! 

Trusting we may not meet again, I am, 

Yours truly, Arthur Ev^rton. 

When Nina read these lines, her heart sank 
within her. “ Trouble never comes singly,” she 
moaned to herself, as she wiped the tears from 
her eyes. She wondered what could have changed 
him so. “ I shouldn’t think our misfortune could 
affect his love for me,” she thought, sorrowfully. 
“ I should think our loss would be nothing to him, 
when he is worth several millions. Papa said he 
could not ask any one for help, but that Arthur 
would surely offer it. I believe he would have 
done so once. I suppose he does not want to 
marry a poor girl. Oh, why has he changed ! 
That can’t be it! Why, why did he make me 
love him so ! Oh, he seemed so good, I couldn’t 
help it! Well, well, I must stop my tears and be 
brave and cheerful for my parents’ sake. We have 


A KENTUCKY STORY. 


213 


each other, and if we have no home on earth, we 
have one in heaven, and are hand in hand on our 
journey.” 

That afternoon Mrs. Boise was sitting alone 
when Mr. Boise came in. He looked sad and 
sick. 

“ Few of my friends knew me this morning,” 
he said. “ I met Arthur, and even he only bowed 
in the most distant manner! Nearly all meet me 
in the same way.” 

“Arthur has written Nina a note breaking their 
engagement,” said Mrs. Boise, sadly. 

“ You don’t tell me! Well, you need not be 
surprised at anything these days !” Mr. Boise 
exclaimed. 

“ Nina took it very quietly,” her mother went 
on. “ She said that though she loved him, she did 
not want him if he did not want her, and that she 
would still have her mother and father; that their 
love could not change.” 

“ Bless her heart ; she is a child after my own 
heart,” said Mr. Boise. 

“ Wife,” he said presently, “ I am thinking very 
seriously of going to Mexico. I met a man this 
morning, an old friend, who has been there, and 
come back rich. He is the only one of all my 
acquaintances who offered me any kind of help. 


214 


THIS STAGE OF LIFE: 


Ho says he will give me letters of introduction to 
business friends, who will help me, and that he will 
let me have the money to take us all there. I 
believe it would be the best thing for us. The 
climate there is good. New York is no place 
for poor people, and I don’t want to go back to 
Kentucky.” 

“ Well,” said Mrs. Boise, “ let’s call Nina and 
see what she says. — Nina, dear, your father is 
talking of taking us to Mexico. What do you 
think of it?” her mother asked, as she came into 
the room and gently laid her arm around her 
father’s shoulders. 

“ I am willing to go anywhere or do anything 
that seems best,” Nina answered. 

“ Well, I’ll make all the arrangements, and 
we will start to-morrow night,” said Mr. Boise, 
patting Nina’s hand affectionately. 

After Nina had showed Arthur Everton’s note 
to her mother and made the quiet comments Mrs. 
Boise had repeated to her husband, nothing more 
was said about Mr. Everton; but Mr. Boise, 
though his heart was burdened with his own great 
financial calamity, showed by an added tender- 
ness of manner toward Nina that he, as well as 
her mother, felt for his precious daughter in her 
trouble. 


A KENTUCKY STORY. 


215 


The next evening they were on their way. The 
journey was a sad one to Nina, though she tried 
to be cheerful, and listened with interest to her 
father as he .talked of the wealth he would make 
for them all in Mexico. 


CHAPTER XX. 


The first year Nina and her parents spent in 
Mexico all went well. 

. They soon had a comfortable little home in 
Silao, opposite the plaza, which Mrs. Boise and 
Nina took much pleasure in making as attractive 
and as near like their old home in Kentucky as 
possible. 

Mr. Boise worked hard, and was obliged to 
make a business trip to the City of Mexico every 
few weeks. He was doing well, however, and felt 
that they would soon be ahead again. 

Mrs. Boise and Nina frequently met him at 
the station when he returned from his trips, and 
if they did not, were sure to be awaiting him with 
a warm welcome on the front porch when he 
reached home. A day came, though, when they 
were neither at the station nor in sight as he 
walked toward his home. He was obliged to 
unfasten the door himself, and when he got into 
the front hall even, no one was in sight. Pres- 
ently Mrs. Boise appeared. She kissed him 
silently and led him to Nina’s room, where his 


A KENTUCKY STORY. 

child, the pride of his heart, lay quite sick with a 
high fever. 

“Have you had a doctor?” he asked Mrs. 
Boise, in alarm. 

“Yes, indeed,” she said; “he has been here 
three times since last night, and I expect him 
again very soon.” 

“ What does he say?” Mr. Boise inquired. 

“ He could not tell what was the matter yet, 
but looked very grave,” she answered. 

Soon the doctor came, and to their horror said : 

“ It is just as I feared, Mrs. Boise. Your 
daughter has smallpox. I will vaccinate you both. 
Chewchew has had it, and can attend Miss Nina.” 

Chewchew was their Spanish servant. She had 
come to them from another American family soon 
after they settled in Silao, and had been with them 
a year now. She was faithful and reliable, and 
soon proved to be an unusually good nurse. 

The doctor gave her full directions in regard 
to taking care of Nina, but Mrs. Boise insisted 
that she must nurse, too. 

“ 1 have already been exposed to the disease, 
doctor,” she said, “ and if I am to have it, my 
staying away from Nina now won’t prevent it.” 

She did not take it, but when the doctor came 
the next day, he found that her husband was down 


218 The stage oe tjeE: 

with it. Mr. Boise had been feeling badly for 
some days, he told the doctor, but did not realize 
that anything serious could be the matter. 

Mrs. Boise and Chewchew had their hands full 
for many weeks. 

At last Mr. Boise began to recover, and then 
before long was up and about, looking quite 
himself again, except for a few marks. 

Poor Nina, however, was still very low. For 
days she lay almost at the point of death. She 
looked like a roll of burnt cotton. It was hard to 
tell her face from the back of her head, for her 
hair, eyebrows and lashes came out, and her eyes 
and nose were so disfigured that her mother 
wondered if they would ever look natural again. 

Mrs. Boise anxiously watched her child day 
and night, scarcely taking time to eat or sleep. 
She prayed fervently to God, and after a terrible 
siege Nina’s life was spared. The morning the 
doctor told them she was going to get well, he 
said that she must have been left for some great 
purpose, for he had never seen any one go through 
the suffering she had and live. 

She slowly regained her strength, but even 
after she was well her best friend would hardly 
have recognized her. Her face was marked with 
ugly pits. Her nose was no longer the straight, 


A KENTUCKY STORY. 


219 


beautiful nose it had been. Her hair grew again, 
but had lost its lovely golden sheen, and her 
eyes, once as clear as the stars of heaven, were 
for a long time dim and weak. Indeed, no trace 
of Nina could be seen, save in her sweet and 
gentle disposition. That remained unchanged, and 
because of it her face, plain as it was, had so 
beautiful an expression that it was attractive and 
lovable. 

“ It seems too bad,” said her mother, when, she 
saw Nina feeling her face with her hand one day. 

“ Now, mamma, don’t,” said Nina, with a smile. 
“ You know it must be God’s will that I should be 
so marked, and it was done for some wise purpose 
which we can not understand.” 

“ I could have submitted uncomplainingly if it 
were myself,” her mother replied ; “ but to see my 
only child robbed of her beauty just when the bud 
of maidenhood was unfolding into such a lovely 
flower of womanhood — oh, it wrings my very 
heart ! But you are right, dear child. It is no 
doubt because we do not see far enough that our 
trials seem such dire afflictions to us. We know 
they are all sent in love, for 4 God is love.’ And 
how I thank him, Nina, for sparing your life to 
me ! I can understand the feeling of that mother, 
whose young daughter had died, and was brought 


220 


the: stage oe tiee: 


back to life by Christ’s command. And what a 
good daughter you are, too. Ah, you, who have 
brought so much joy and comfort to your parents’ 
hearts, will surely, one day, be very happy 
yourself !” 

“ My precious mamma,” said Nina, kissing her, 
“ 1 am not unhappy. You and papa and all who 
truly love me, can not love me less because my 
face is plain; and surely it is far sweeter and 
more satisfying to be loved for oneself than to be 
admired for one’s appearance.” 

“ That is true. God bless you, my child. You 
are growing wise as well as good, and she who is 
truly wise and good has a beauty not of this world, 
a beauty nothing can take away.” 

Things were again going smoothly. The weeks 
slipped by filled with such sweet content as comes 
after hearts have been drawn closer by some great 
trouble or anxiety which has passed. 

It came time for Mr. Boise to go on one of his 
usual trips to the City of Mexico. His wife asked 
him if he felt strong enough to make the journey. 

“ Except for a little cold, I feel perfectly well,” 
he answered ; “ but for some reason I never hated 
to leave home so in my life.” 

“ Can’t you wait another week?” asked Mrs. 
Boise. 


A KENTUCKY v STORY. 


221 


“ Yes, papa, do. You aren’t obliged to go 
to-day, are you?” said Nina. 

“ Well, I suppose I could put it off a few days 
longer,” replied Mr. Boise; “but I ought to go 
to-day, and there is no real reason why I 
shouldn’t.” 

He kissed them “ good-by ” then, and they 
watched him start off with his handbag, as they 
had so often done before, little realizing how soon 
and in what condition they would see him again. 

He had been gone but twenty-four hours when 
a messenger came to the house with a telegram. 
Mrs. Boise, Mrs. Murphy, a neighbor, and Nina 
were on the front porch. Mrs. Boise opened the 
telegram and read: 

“Mr. Boise is very sick. Come at once.” 

Mrs. Murphy helped them get ready, and they 
left on the next train. 

When they reached Mr. Boise, they found that 
he had had a chill, after which he had been taken 
with an acute pain in his lungs, that had grown 
worse and worse. 

He smiled when Mrs. Boise and Nina came into 
the room and kissed him. 

“ 1 am so glad you are here. I feel better 
now,” he said, in a relieved manner. 


222 


THE stage oe uee: 


The physician who was attending him told Mrs. 
Boise that her husband had pneumonia. 

“ I think there is no immediate danger,” the 
doctor said ; “ but this disease at his time of life is 
a serious matter, and your husband is a very sick 
man. You and your daughter had better take 
turns staying with him, for neither of you look 
very strong. You must both rest as soon as you 
can, and you ought to spend as much time as you 
can spare away from him in the open air.” 

Mrs. Boise sat with him the first few hours 
and sent Nina to lie down and rest, for the latter 
looked very pale and weary from her journey. 

She came back after a while, feeling much 
refreshed. 

“ It’s my turn to stay with papa now, mamma, 
dear,” she said ; “ and you must rest, for you look 
worn out yourself.” 

Mrs. Boise gave her directions about the medi- 
cine, kissed Mr. Boise softly on the forehead, then 
left him in Nina’s care. After having had a long 
talk with his wife, he had fallen asleep, and still 
seemed to be resting quietly. 

Presently he opened his eyes and asked for a 
glass of water. Nina got it for him, then sat by 
him on the bed. Anxiously and tenderly, with his 
hand in hers, she watched him breathe. Near the 







Sident Meditation 





A KENTUCKY STORY. 


223 


bed was an open window, toward which he turned 
his eyes. The sun was setting in all its glory. 
The evening was serenely beautiful, but to Nina, 
for some reason, seemed unspeakably sad. 

" What a lovely scene this is, my daughter !” 
said her father, faintly. “ With what majesty does 
the sun retire from the world ! The calmness 
which attends its departure is such, I think, as 
must attend a good man’s exit.” 

He paused a few moments, then raising his 
eyes to heaven, exclaimed: “ Merciful Father, had 
it pleased thee, I could wish to have been spared 
to this dear child and her precious mother; but 
thy will, not mine, be done. Confiding in thy 
mercy and in the Redeemer’s saving love, 1 leave 
them with thee.” 

Nina’s tears were falling on her father’s hand. 
He took his handkerchief and wiped her eyes, say- 
ing : “ Sweet teardrops these are to papa ; but, my 
daughter, you must not weep so bitterly for me.” 

She laid her face against her father’s, and he 
kissed her tenderly.’ Then, in a moment, she saw 
he was gone, or had fainted. She called for help. 

Mrs. Prum, who kept the house, and two or 
three gentlemen ran in. 

“ Oh, has he fainted ?” said Nina, “ He can’t 
be dead !” 


224 the stage oe liee: 

They chafed his hands and temples, and used 
every remedy to revive him, but in vain. His 
spirit had forsaken its tenement of clay forever. 

Nina wrung her hands together, moaning: 
“ Oh, what shall I do ! My papa is gone — gone I” 
then leaned back and looked so white they thought 
she had fainted ; but she had not. 

“ My poor mamma ! I am her only comfort 
now. 1 must bear up,” she said, with tears 
streaming from her eyes. 

Presently her mother came in. She cast her- 
self on her knees at her husband's bedside. All 
went from the room in silence and tears, but Nina. 

“ Precious mother,” she said, kneeling beside 
her and putting her arm around her, “ all his work 
is done. He has gone to his home on high, where 
there are no troubles — no sorrows — where all is 
peace. God took him, and he left us in God’s 
care. Oh, dear mamma, do not weep so !” she 
sobbed, as the tears fell fast from her own eyes. 

Poor little angel ! With a. truly Christian spirit 
she was trying to console her mother, when her 
own grief was beyond measure. 

After a while Mrs. Prum came and took them 
aiway. Love and pity filled the hearts of all who 
knew them, and many, strangers, from that time 
on were lifelong friends. So it ever is. Surely we 


A KENTUCKY STORY. 


225 


may know God pities and feels for us in time of 
trouble, when his humblest creatures show in every 
way possible their sympathy and love. 

When Nina and her mother next viewed the 
body of the beloved father and husband, it lay in 
the parlor, surrounded by roses and pansies. 

So many flowers had been sent, the room could 
hardly hold them all. 

A Methodist minister, an old friend of Mr. 
Boise, who- had charge of a church in the City of 
Mexico, conducted the funeral service ; and many 
friends Mr. Boise had made during his frequent 
visits to that city went with them on the funeral 
train to Sunset Hill, where his body was laid to 
rest. 

Mrs. Boise and Nina visited with friends for a 
few days, then started back to their home in Silao. 
They wondered what they would do without the 
husband and father to stand between them and the 
world. They were Christian women, however, and 
felt that God would hold their hands and open up 
the way for them. The peace that he alone can 
give iilled their hearts. 

“ Mamma, dear, now we can see why God gave 
me a talent. I can teach music, and may be get a 
place to sing in a church,” said Nina. “ I am so 

ds) 


226 THE STAGE OE UEE : 

glad papa bought the piano Christmas and insisted 
on my keeping up my music.” 

After they got on the train, Mrs. Boise was 
handed a sealed package, which she found, when 
she opened it, contained two thousand dollars. A 
letter accompanied the package, which said that 
Mr. Boise’s business and railroad friends sympa- 
thized deeply with his widow and her daughter in 
their loss of him, and wished them to accept the 
inclosed as a token of their sincere appreciation 
of the sterling worth and noble character of Mr. 
Boise. 

“ His works do follow him,” said Mrs. Boise, 
with the tears running down her cheeks. “AH, 
Nina, who can tell what a mighty and lasting influ- 
ence the acts of a good man have over those who 
come in contact with him! Your father’s own 
open-hearted, generous nature has won the esteem 
and friendship of those who now bestow this mag- 
nanimous gift upon us. It is a * God-send ’ in 
more ways than one!” 

“ It is too bad we had to leave without seeing 
them and thanking them!” exclaimed Nina, with 
tears glistening in her eyes also. 


CHAPTER XXL 


The train was speeding onward. It approached 
a curve. 

Nina was looking out of the window, wonder- 
ing if they would spend the rest of their days in 
Mexico. She thought of all the trouble she had 
had in that country, of her sad experiences there 
when a child, of how she had been found and res- 
cued by Arthur Everton, with Miss Kaughman’s 
help. She thought of the past year spent in that 
warm, bright country, and wondered if Mr. Ever- 
ton ever thought of her now. Until trouble and 
sickness came she had tried to be content and 
happy; but she knew there was a void, a some- 
thing that she missed, deep down in her heart, try 
as she would to forget. And now her father’s 
death had come and again changed all. “ But,” 
she thought, “ I must be brave, put my trust in 
God, and find all the happiness I can in the duties 
that present themselves ; besides, I have my pre- 
cious mamma still,” — and she looked in her face 
with a loving smile. 

Suddenly the engine whistle gave a loud, shrill 
shriek. There was a sudden stop, an awful crash. 


228 


THE STAGE OF LIFE: 


and all in the car were thrown violently forward 
in their seats. Women screamed, children cried, 
and men made frantic efforts to get out and see 
what the trouble was. 

They had run into an excursion train. No one 
on their car was seriously hurt, but they soon 
found that a number had been killed and fifty or 
more wounded on the excursion train. All that 
could were asked to come and assist in caring for 
those who had been hurt. A gentleman, all cut 
and bleeding, was assigned to Nina. 

“How familiar he looks! Do' I know him?” 
she thought, as she approached him. 

“ Oh !” she gasped, when she saw his face, and 
a sudden longing came over her to throw her arms 
around him. Outwardly she was self-possessed, 
however. 

“Are you suffering much pain?” she asked him, 
as she washed the blood from his forehead and 
bathed his wound. 

He opened his eyes with a start when she 
spoke, but closed them after glancing at her, and 
a disappointed expression came over his counte- 
nance. He said that he thought he was not 
seriously hurt; that he felt better, but still suf- 
fered. 

He was soon carried to a wayside house, where 



Rescuing Arthur after the Accident 

































A KENTUCKY STORY. 239 

all the wounded were being taken. Her heart beat 
fast, for her charge was Arthur Everton! She 
saw, however, that he did not recognize her. 

After a doctor had dressed his pounds and 
showed him how to bandage them, Arthur said to 
her: “You have been very kind to me. Were 
you on the excursion train?” 

“ No,” she replied. “ My mother and I were 
on the other train. We were returning to our 
home in Silao. We had been to bury my father, 
who was sick only forty-eight hours. My mother 
is caring for a lady who was fatally injured, she 
is afraid.” 

“ May I ask how long you have lived in 
Mexico ?” asked Arthur, after a pause. 

“About sixteen months,” Nina replied. 

“ Do you like it here ?” he questioned. 

“ Well,” she said, “ there are places I like 
better. We were unfortunate and lost all we had. 
We came to Mexico because my father could get 
business here.” 

“ Pardon me, but what is your name ?” asked 
Arthur. 

“ You don’t know me, so need not know my 
name,” she replied. “ I’ll do the best I can for 
you until a nurse comes, but after that I’ll leave 
you, and you will never see me again.” 


2^0 


THE STAGE OE El EE : 


“ I must know your name,” he said, rising on 
his elbow and looking earnestly at her, “ and I’ll 
tell you why. Your voice is so strangely like the 
voice of a girl dearer to me than life. I am here 
searching for her, and must find her, if I have to 
go to the end of the world. Unintentionally, I 
wronged her, and she is an angel on earth.” 

“ Could you tell me about her ?” asked Nina, 
her heart quaking within her. 

“ Yes,” he answered, after a moment, “ I shall 
be glad to. There is something about you that 
seems so very familiar to me, yet I know I have 
never seen your face before. — For years, since she 
was quite a child, I have loved this pure, sweet 
girl,” he began. “ Her life had much sadness in 
it, but I won’t go into particulars now. After our 
troth was plighted she was in Europe with a Satan 
in the form of a handsome girl friend, who proved 
to be a mean and contemptible enemy ! This 
friend wrote cold, heartless letters to me in my 
loved one’s handwriting, and signed my darling’s 
name to them. Finally I received one, breaking 
our engagement. Then that ‘ piece of feminine 
wickedness ’ came back to New York and told me 
the basest falsehoods about my beloved’s having 
given her heart to another. All the joy went out 
of my life. However, in a few weeks my ‘ Lily/ 


A KENTUCKY STORY. 


23I 


as I used to call her, returned from Europe. I 
went to see her. She still loved me, and told me 
she had not written those cruel letters and knew 
nothing about them, — that the friend must have 
written them. Our engagement was renewed and 
the day was set for our marriage. I went home 
the happiest of men. But, alas, the next morning 
a ‘ sister of charity ’ came to me, and told me ‘ as 
a kindness ’ dreadful tales about ‘ my love’s ’ deceit 
and attachment for another. I wonder now that I 
was deceived by the wicked lies of the ‘ sister,’ 
but she had a good face, and her lies fitted in so 
well with things that really did happen, that I 
believed all she said. I wrote a heartless letter to 
my betrothed, — whose goodness and truth I ought 
never to have doubted for an instant, — and we 
have never met since.” 

He closed his eyes for a moment and his voice 
was husky when he continued : “ Three weeks ago 
to-day I was sent for, and went to a house that 
was entirely strange to me. I was taken into the 
sickroom of a lady who was thought to be dying, 
and I immediately recognized the 4 sister ’ who had 
told me the miserable story that parted me from 
my love. She told me that she was the aunt of 
the deceitful girl who had been the cause of all 
our trouble. She said she could not meet her God 


232 


THE STAGE OE ElEE : 


in peace until she confessed that to please her 
niece she had assumed the disguise of a ‘ sister ’ 
and gone to me with wicked lies about the sweet 
girl I love. She said, too, that my loved ones and 
her parents thought my feelings had changed 
because they had lost their means'. — How could 
she think that of me!” 

Nina’s eyes were full of tears, and she turned 
away a moment. 

“ Oh, that I could see her,” he said, sadly. 
“ There is nothing or nobody that could make me 
doubt her now.” 

“ You might see changes in her,” said Nina. 
“ She might be disfigured in some way.” 

“ No, no. She will always be beautiful to me. 
It’s the spirit that’s in her that I love, and that 
makes her the most precious of women to me !” 

She raised the pillow back of him so that he 
might drink some tea, and as she did so her charm 
— the old luck-charm by which he had discovered 
her identity years before — fell from her throat, 
all unbeknown to her. She turned to get the tea, 
and he picked it up. When she came back to the 
bedside she thought that he had either fainted or 
was dead. She screamed for a doctor. Then she 
saw the charm in his hand, and, herself, was over- 
come. She felt herself falling, and knew nothing 


A KENTUCKY STORY. 233 

more until she came to and saw Arthur bending 
over her. 

“ Oh, my ‘ beautiful Lily/ — my long-lost darl- 
ing, I have found you,” he was saying. “ Will you 
forgive me and love me as of old?” 

Of course, she forgave him with all her heart, 
and to their two souls earth again became par- 
adise. When Mrs. Boise and Nina returned to 
their home in Silao, Mr. Everton accompanied 
them. They soon made arrangements to go 
North, and have the remains of Mr. Boise taken 
with them. 

So, a second time Arthur Everton took Nina 
from trouble and sorrow in Mexico, to content and 
happiness in “ the States.” 


CHAPTER XXII. 


Nina and her mother were again in their old 
home in Kentucky. 

It was the morning of Nina’s wedding. That 
day at noon she and Arthur Everton were to be 
made one. Their nearest and dearest friends were 
all with them. Even Miss Kaughman — who was 
Miss Kaughman no longer, for two years before 
she had married a great soldier, — had come from 
the Far West to be with Nina on her wedding day. 

Mrs. Boise and “ Miss. Mary,” as Nina still 
called her, had dressed the bride, and were adding 
the “ finishing touches.” Nina was looking at the 
reflection of her straight young figure in a’ tall mir- 
ror, and wondering how “ Arthur ” would like her 
in the clouds of billowy white that fell around her. 
Her eyes had become clear and beautiful again, 
and so soft yet bright, so deep yet sweet, was their 
expression that one wondered what heavenly 
thoughts the soul must have that looked through 
them. Her hair had regained a little of its old 
luster. Her face, too, had some color in it to-day, 
and was wreathed in happy smiles. 

There was a rap at the door. 


A KENTUCKY STORY. 


235 


“ Come in,” called Nina, sweetly. 

“ Lord bless the chile !” exclaimed old Aunt 
Jane as she opened the door. “ Ain’t she jes’ like 
a angel straight from heaben!” 

“ Come here, Aunt Jane, I want to hug you — 
just the way I used to when I was a little girl — 
I feel so happy to-day, I can’t contain myself,” 
said Nina, and then threw her arms around Aunt 
Jane’s neck and kissed her shiny black cheek in a 
way that almost took the old “ Aunty’s ” breath 
away. “ Aunt Jane,” Nina went on, “ did they tell 
you about the old charm you gave me? how twice 
it helped bring Mr. Everton to me ? and now, you, 
Aunt Jane, shall have it back — I won’t need it any 
longer, for I shall never be separated from him 
again.” 

“ Bless your heart, honey, it may be the Lord 
made use ob dat ole cha’m to help, but it mus’ a 
been your own be-oo-ti-ful se’f what done the 
biznis ! — but I’ll take it an’ keep it, till — well, 
may be some time another little angel might come 
down from heaben ! — an’ would like to hab it !” 
said Aunt Jane, wiping a tear from her eye. 

“ Are you all ready for the wedding, Aunt 
Jane?” asked Mrs. Boise. 

“Yes’m, ole Miss, I is. I’s got on my bes’ 
black dress ; an’ a spick-span white apron, an’ my 


236 


THE STAGE OE IvIEE: 


head-dress, ole Miss,” she said, putting her hand 
to the bright plaid bandana tied round her head; 
“ ain’t all lace an’ ribben like yours, but it suits 
my ole black face an’ is the kin’ I is use to. I’s 
got a bran new pocket hank-chef, too, wif a 
trimmed border. Miss Mary, the lady what’s 
fixin’ Miss Nina’s wreaf, there, — she gib it to me.” 

“You’ll do very well, Aunt Jane. Ho*w are 
things coming on down in the kitchen?” inquired 
her mistress. 

“ Jes’ splendid, ole Miss. Dinah’s chickens an’ 
salads an’ good things do jes’ look mos’ too fine 
to eat ! She gi’ me a peep at the weddin’-cake, 
too — my, but it’s han’some ! — an’ Tom, he’s got 
the ice-cream mos’ froze. Law, Miss Nina, you 
orter see how dat nigger am tricked out! I tole 
him he did’n have no sense, he orter dress more 
quiet-like for white folks weddin’s, an’ not look 
like he are goin’ on a cake-walk ! Aunt Dina, too, 
tole him he was’n raised up right or he’d know 
servants orten to extract obtentions by their ’pear- 
ance. Well, reckon I better go on down an’ see 
if I kin he’p any.” 

They laughed as they imagined the old colored 
women lecturing Tom on his appearance in lan- 
guage beyond the ability of the simple old souls 
to use correctly. 


A KENTUCKY STORY. 


237 


“ Fifteen minutes to twelve, and the bride is 
all ready !” exclaimed ‘ Miss Mary/ 

“ Give me a kiss,” said Nina, pushing back her 
veil and putting her arm around her friend. 

“ You, too, my precious mamma,” she said, 
turning to her — “and now, I want you to leave me 
alone for just five minutes.” She wiped the tears 
from her mother’s eyes, and her own were wet as, 
with her arm still around her,*her mother kissed 
her for the third time. 

When they had gone, Nina knelt by the bed- 
side and bowed her head in prayer. The prayer 
she poured forth so earnestly was sacred; so we, 
too, will leave her, a moment, alone with her God. 

At exactly twelve she walked into the parlor, 
a vision of beauty. Her luminous smile and the 
light that shone from her lovely eyes made glad 
the countenances of those who gazed upon her. 

Arthur was waiting for her, and soon, beneath a 
beautiful canopy of lilies and ferns, they were pro- 
nounced “ man and wife.” 

“ She stood like an angel just wandering from heaven, 
A pilgrim benighted away from the skies, 

And little we deemed that to mortals were given 
Such visions of beauty as came from her eyes. 

“ She looked up and smiled on the many glad faces, 

The friends of her childhood, who stood by her side, 
But she shone o'er them all, like a queen o’er her graces, 
When, blushing, she whispered the vows of a bride. 


238 THE STAGE OE EIEE : 

“ We sang an old song, as with garlands we crowned her, 

And each left a kiss on her delicate brow, 

We prayed that a blessing might ever surround her, 

And the future of life be unclouded as now. ” 

* sk sk * * * * 

At last, after years of patient effort and waiting, 
Arthur Everton had secured his prize. His great- 
est earthly hope is realized, and his heart is satis- 
fied. He sits at the window, and the same moon 
that he has mediated beneath, many evenings 
before, shines upon him now ; but he is no longer 
alone. 

A beautiful head rests upon his shoulder. He 
tell his “ Eily ” how he loves her, and she with 
uplifted face asks,“ Arthur, why?” 

Then in a voice that is music to her ears, he 
replies : “ Nina, my beloved, I will try to tell you : 
Kindness, the ornament of man, is the chief glory 
of woman. It is indeed her true prerogative — her 
scepter and her crown. It is the sword with which 
she conquers and the charm with which she cap- 
tivates. What a bright light does history throw 
around woman in her recorded deeds of kindness ! 
You remember Virginia, and how like a fountain 
in a wilderness is the story of Pocahontas saving 
the life of Captain Smith, and many other instances 
are recorded which tell how woman’s kindness 
appeals to what is best in man, and subdues him. 


A KENTUCKY STORY. 


239 


“ You, my own love, when but twelve years old, 
and filled with sorrow for the dear mother you 
thought you had lost, showed by your acts, as 
well as your sweet words and gentle ways, the 
kindness in your heart. Well I remember how you 
tied up a poor black boy’s foot when he cut it, 
how you brought in a starving dog and fed it, how 
every unfortunate creature seemed to inspire your 
love and pity. My heart went out to you, even 
then ; and afterwards, when I learned to know you 
better, the reverence and love I felt for you grew 
to be the sweetest part of my life. 

“ The Christian religion gives the beatitude to 
woman’s character. The highest tribute to her 
sympathy, and the highest examples of her over- 
flowing goodness of heart, are found in the sacred 
pages of the Bible. She washed the Redeemer’s 
feet with her tears, and wiped them with her hair. 
She was the last to linger around his cross when 
he was crucified, and the first at his tomb after he 
arose from the dead. 

“ I knew that such women must live to-day as 
well as then ; but none satisfied my soul until I 
found you, my beautiful one. Completely and un- 
reservedly I could trust my heart and life’s happi- 
ness in your keeping, and, oh, how I thank God 
for blessing my existence with you — my wife” 


240 


THE STAGE OE UEE : 


He kissed her cheek, all wet with tears, and her 
arm stole around his neck, telling him plainer than 
words that she, too, thanked God for blessing her 
life with him, — her husband. 

The angels in heaven smiled and clapped their 
hands, when they beheld the joy that filled the 
hearts of these two, as they sat there with * the 
moonlight streaming over them. 

* * * * * * 

True marriage is not of man, but of God. It 
can not be derived from any combination of mere 
earthly affection or worldly prudence ; it descends 
from the marriage of heavenly love and wisdom 
in the mind, which looks not simply to temporal, 
but eternal happiness. Natural love is blind; spir- 
itual love dwells with wisdom. Marriage, 
grounded in genuine love and sanctified by gen- 
uine wisdom, will be found to realize its highest 
promises. Conjugal love before marriage is like 
the bud of a beautiful flower : the flower is yet 
wrapped in its coverings; marriage unfolds and 
makes it sensible. Marriage is thus the expanded 
blossom of conjugal love, where the beauties of 
its refined intelligence are displayed, where the 
odors of its delicate perceptions are exhaled, where 
the nectar of its pure delights is distilled, and 


A KENTUCKY STORY. 24 1 

where new affections and perceptions of the good 
and the true are continually produced. 

And although at the resurrection there shall 
be no relation of husband and wife, and no mar- 
riage shall be celebrated but “ the marriage of the 
Lamb,” yet there shall be remembered how all 
passed through this life, which is a type of that; 
and from this sacramental union all holy pairs shall 
pass to the spiritual and eternal, where love shall 
be their portion and joy shall crown their heads, 
and they shall lie in the bosom of Jesus and the 
heart of God to eternal ages. 


CHAPTER XXIII. 


There was never a more beautiful face than that 
of Nina, or a more lovely character. Her dispo- 
sition was to always see the good in everything. 

Prudence, if no higher motive, should keep a 
woman above the meanness of calumny. If she 
can not raise her soul above the low regions of 
suspicion, let her at least beware how she betrays 
her weakness to others. In no way is woman so 
sure to bring injurious surmises upon herself as 
by indulging in surmises about her sisters. 

“ Nothing is all dark,” said Nina. “ There can 
not be a picture without its bright spots ; and the 
steady contemplation of what is good in others has 
a reflex influence upon the beholder.” 

How true this is. Dwell on what is best in 
others, and unconsciously you will bring a blessing 
to your own heart. The thoughts a soul feeds on 
make it what it is. 

Wealth may surround woman with its bland- 
ishments; beauty, learning or talents may bring 
her admirers, but love and kindness alone can hold 
captive the heart; whether she lives in a cottage 
or a palace, these graces will surround her. with 


A KENTUCKY STORY. 243 

perpetual sunshine, ever bringing herself and those 
near her joy and sweet content. 

“ This is why my wife has such a beautiful face : 
she has a beauty which changes not with features, 
which fades not with years!” thought Arthur, 
when, as they came from a musicale one evening 
some two years after they were married, he re- 
membered how faces brightened and voices soft- 
ened when Nina came near. 

“ Oh, Arthur, see, there is the light of our 
home !” she exclaimed, presently. “ Why is it that 
it shines so much brighter and clearer than the 
light from any other house? It was pleasant to 
meet with our friends, and the music was beautiful 
and inspiring; but no earthly vision brings so 
much joy to my heart as the picture of our home. 
— I see mamma with her lovely face and quiet 
smile — dear old Aunt Jane holding our darling 
baby, both so bright and happy — and you, my 
husband, sitting there with your paper, but glanc- 
ing every now and then at your dear ones near 
you, especially your wife, who drops her sewing a 
moment and goes to you with heart so full she 
must share what’s in it, with you! — I am so 
happy, my husband. I can not express my happi- 
ness to you. — Ah, surely, there is nothing in the 
world like love, my beloved !” 


244 the: stage: of life:: 

“ Nothing, my precious Lily !” replied Arthur 
as, after he had helped her from the carriage, he 
drew her arm through his. “ It makes me shud- 
der yet to think of the time I came so near losing 
you.” 

“Yes, that was a trying time for both of us,” 
said Nina. “ I wonder what has become of Emma 
Lee.” 

“ That wicked, deceitful girl, — she did not have 
one good trait!” exclaimed Arthur. 

“ She was sweet-mannered, Arthur, and hand- 
some, and I don't believe she realized what an out- 
rageous wrong she was doing. If she did, she 
couldn't have done it. Don’t blame her; try and 
forgive her, for perhaps she knew not what she 
did,” Nina said. 

“How could she help knowing?” he replied. 
“ I do blame her and always shall. Why shouldn’t 
I? She brought her own aunt in sorrow to the 
grave, I haven’t a doubt. She was bad enough and 
mean enough, too, but had the grace to be sorry 
for what she’d been influenced to do ; but Emma 
Lee !” — 

“ Well, Arthur, Emma Lee had no mother, and 
was spoiled from the time she was a child. Her 
aunt, who was fond of her and very proud of her 
beauty, encouraged her in worldly display and self- 


A KENTUCKY STORY. 24$ 

ishness. Oh ! what a sad mistake parents and 
guardians, all unknowingly, make when they thus 
prepare girls to bring misery to themselves and 
those around them. It is the daughters trained 
in retiring, industrious and virtuous ways who* be- 
come a real ornament to their sex and a blessing 
to their race — ‘ corner-stones polished after the 
similitude of a palace/ Oh, we must teach our 
little Lily to be modest, true-hearted and loving. 

1 would have her be, even as the lily of the valley, 
or the thoughtful-eyed white violet. Graceful they 
are, and pure as the stars ; but the one, filling the 
air with sweet perfume, hides itself in bended 
obscurity, and the other smiles with soft and bash- 
ful innocence along the footpaths and the way- 
sides.” 

“ We’ll give her to God, Arthur my love, won’t 
we ? And he will put his love in her heart and will 
teach us how to teach her,” said Nina, as later she 
knelt beside her baby’s cradle and gazed in a rapt- 
ure of mother love on the face of her sleeping . 
child. 

Arthur stood in the doorway a moment watch- 
ing them. A reverent, tender look came into his 
eyes. “ My sweet, holy flowers, plucked from 
heaven and full of heaven’s grace!” he thought; 


246 


the stage oe life: 


“ God Almighty help me in caring for them and 
ministering unto them.” 

The next morning, on opening the paper, Ar- 
thur exclaimed : “ Nina ! Nina ! listen a moment,” 
then read the following: 

Sad End of Former Society Belle. 

Miss Emma Lee Tucker, a Louisiana beauty, comes to 
a melancholy end. Several years ago Miss Tucker came 
to New York, young, beautiful and rich. Friends and 
admirers flocked around her, and, for a time, no woman 
in the land was more sought and courted. She, how- 
ever, stepped from the “ straight and narrow way.” The 
Aunt who had brought her up died of grief, after which 
Miss Tucker soon ran through her fortune. A dreadful 
malady then fell like a judgment upon her. The bloom 
faded from her cheek, her eyes lost their luster, and every 
personal charm withered. The loss of her health and the 
decay of her beauty were followed by destitution and 
wretchedness. Surely “ the way of transgressors is hard.” 
Friendless and helpless, the former belle was now an out- 
cast; for those who had flattered and caressed her in the 
days of her wicked prosperity, first ignored, then lost 
sight of her completely. She passed some time in untold 
suffering, and was finally confined to her bed in a 
wretched back room of a tenement house. Here she was 
found in a dying condition by a “ Sister of Mercy,” who 
had her removed to a hospital. Miss Tucker there told 
something of her history, and ended by exclaiming, “ Alas, 
we poor hard-hearted mortals must suffer before we learn 
to feel for others, or repent of our wickedness. What 
sins Fve committed! What lies I’ve told! What wretch- 
edness and misery and 1 disgrace I have brought to those 
who cared most for me! My heart was harder than 
stone. I was all vile and nothing true! But now I pay 
the debt, and it is hard — hard. Oh, Lord! is there any 


A KENTUCKY STORY. 247 

mercy for me?” she faintly gasped, and was no more. 
She had passed from this world to the unknown beyond. 

When Arthur stopped reading and looked at 
his wife, she was in a flood of tears. 

“ Nina, dear,” he said, “ do not weep. Why 
should you weep for her who brought so much 
sorrow to ygur heart? For my part, when I think 
of a life like hers being ended, I feel like saying, 
‘ Well done/ ” 

“ Oh, Arthur, don’t say that. When God puts 
his hand on a creature, it is time for us to lift ours 
off. — I feel so — so sorry for her,” said Nina, 
wiping her eyes and sobbing, still. “ She did not 
hurt us, only for a time, and who knows but 
through the sorrow she brought upon us she in 
some way added to our happiness afterwards. 
Let us hold nothing against her, but forgive, as we 
hope to be forgiven. — I blame myself for not try- 
ing harder when I was with Emma Lee to lead her 
to God. 1 am afraid that the light that I had I 
‘ kept under a bushel.’ ” 

“ Nina, my dear wife,” replied her husband, 
“ your pure face and lovely character have been a 
light to me since I first knew you! What people 
are in their hearts and lives counts for more than 
all the conscious effort they may make in influenc- 
ing those around them. Oftentimes aggressive 


248 


THE stage oe eiee: 


effort, of even good people, does more harm than 
good, and repels when it was meant to attract; 
but no one on earth, who is not thoroughly selfish 
and hard-hearted, can help being influenced and 
attracted by a pure, good life. Emma Eee’s heart, 
as she said, was as hard as adamant. If being with 
you had no effect on her, don’t think that anything 
more you might have said or done could have in- 
fluenced her. After she had gone through some of 
the misery she had brought on others, however, 
she repented and cried to God for mercy. So may 
.be, after all, God saved her, and she’ll lead a better 
life beyond.” 

“ Of course God saved her. God could not 
turn away any child, no matter how sinful, who 
truly repented and cried to him for mercy. Why, 
even earthly parents would forgive and love and 
help a wayward child, when he went to them and 
asked it. How much more will God, the depth 
of whose love and pity for his children is beyond 
our power to comprehend, hear the faintest cry of 
a wretched child who calls to him for help and 
forgiveness.” 

“ Yes, I verily believe only those can’t be saved 
who won’t be saved,” said Arthur. “ What a sub- 
lime dignity yet an awful responsibility God be- 
stowed on man in giving him his free will, his 
power of choice !” 


CHAPTER XXIV. 


“ This world is just a stage of life, and, as 
Shakespeare said, ‘ we are the players in youth 
and age ’ ; but, though death may end the perform- 
ance here, after death comes more vital life, either 
for better or worse !” said Nina. “ My part on the 
‘ stage of life ’ has indeed been varied. When I 
was a happy child, my life was sweet sunshine. 
Trouble came soon, and my after years were from 
sunlight to shadow. I would think, ‘ I am so 
happy/ and before I could realize my situation, 
I would find myself in another sea of gloom. I 
used to wonder why I was so afflicted, but now no 
wonder comes to me. It was just life and the stage 
of life. 

“ My last great sorrow was my father’s death 
— and that brought round our meeting, my hus- 
band ! — He was a devout Christian and a devoted 
father, and often I long to see him again, and 
shall, some day. When 1 go to his grave, I know 
that it is only to look upon the mound where his 
lifeless body was laid to rest. Plis spirit is now in 
the great beyond. 

“ What deep sweetness even the terrible sor- 


250 


THE STAGE OF LIFE: 


row of death has in it, when, as we stand by the 
bed of a dear one who is preparing to go from this 
world, we hear him say : ‘ I am ready and waiting 
my Father’s call. Goodbye till we meet again, on 
the beautiful shore beyond ’ ! 

“ How sublime is an abiding faith in God ! 
Through faith we may come out victorious over 
all. We may be afflicted, our paths may be dark, 
and it may seem that we are at the end, — we have 
come to a wall — we look over and deep water is 
on the other side ; but, if we have a pure faith, we 
can just shut our eyes and leap, knowing that, 
though the water be dark and deep, all must come 
right in the end. 

“ I believe that my mother would not have been 
at my side this moment had it not been for our 
prayers and our faith. It seemed to me, when I 
heard she had died, that heaven was a long way 
off and our separation would be almost endless ; 
but since papa has gone, and through faith I have 
gained a larger view, heaven seems nearer, — just 
across the dark river of death is not very far! 
‘And there shall be no more death there,’ as we 
read in God’s Word. That is a comfort. Death 
is an evil — an adverse destiny — with which every 
child of humanity has to grapple sooner or later. 

Death is one of the great facts of our being, a 


A KENTUCKY STORY. 25 I 

law of our natures, and however solemn the 
thought or gloomy the reflection, it must with 
every one of us come to this, even this, at last. 

“We can not help asking, ‘Is it true of man 
and earth that this is the inevitable lot of all?’ and 
we know that it is. 

“ All must die, soon or late ; but we have the 
sweet evidence that death places the good of earth 
beyond the reach of the vanities and disappoint- 
ments of life. They who have chosen God for their 
portion can go ‘ God-like 5 through — to where 
real and apparent are the same, where reality 
itself is less unreal and the veriest vanities are vain 
no more; where existence shall never again be 
billowed with human agitation, nor exhibit its 
myriad unsubstantial images of air, its melancholy 
illusive ghosts of dead unknown and blighted 
hopes, but where the manifestations of immortality 
bound forever the vanities of this life with the over- 
whelming realities of another and a better. The 
angel of hope is present with the angel of death, 
to guide and console, and having a well defined 
consciousness of immortal life, we feel that they 
but cast earth’s throbbing dust aside to put the 
diadem of deathless glory on. They are done with 
earth — all is elevated and extra-mundane. Their 
heavenly mansions sweep in on their minds’ vision 


252 th£ stagf, of tiFF : 

as the promised sequel to all the tears and dark- 
ness of earth, and as they pass the cold and turbid 
river of death they behold the splendors of immor- 
tality streaming abroad and investing their heav- 
enly home. 

“ We must ourselves die, to finish the picture, 
and when we do, and the inevitable death lot shall 
throw our thrilling gaze athwart, the gathering 
gloom will vanish forever, and we shall say, 
‘Amen.’ ” 

The; End. 







































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